Jones, 55, who is the ex-husband of Jody Carmack, pleaded guilty Sept. 28 to counts of conspiracy, evading currency-reporting requirements, defrauding the IRS, and Social Security and food stamp fraud. The crimes included in the five-count bill of information carried a maximum sentence of 18 years in prison and a $910,000 fine.
Jones was not taken into custody Friday. Rose told Jones that the U.S. Marshals will contact him within 30 to 45 days with a date for his voluntary surrender, so that he could get his affairs in order.
Defense attorney Dennis Lieberman told Rose that Jones was trying to liquidate his properties so that he could pay the judgment, but that process was complicated by leins placed on them, including at least one by a gambling boat.
After his prison release, Jones will be on parole for three years, and one condition of that parole will be that he attend Gambler’s Anonymous meetings, Rose said.
As part of his plea agreement, Jones admitted that he bought and sold counterfeit goods, trafficked in food stamp benefits and conspired to hide the money he obtained from the illegal transactions.
Jones admitted also to filing an income tax return with the IRS using the name of a dead man, and using a Social Security number that belonged to a resident of Westerville, Ohio. He did this in an effort to launder the money from his criminal activities, officials said.
Jones owned Arrow Battery, a business located at 3837 W. Alexandersville-Bellbrook Road in West Carrollton that sells scrap batteries and used forklifts. But he also worked at Jody Jones’ business, Inn Between Carryout, a convenience store in Moraine.
In February 2011, Carmack, then known as Jody Jones, resigned from City Council after learning authorities were investigating her and her ex-husband. Carmack, who has since re-married, pleaded guilty to three felony charges in January 2012 and was sentenced to three years probation and 180 days of home detention.
Between February 2009 and February 2011, Jones and his ex-wife bought counterfeit goods from an undercover police informant, then sold them at the store. He also purchased electronic food stamp cards from the informant, for about half the value of the food benefits they contained. In total, Jones bought more than $200,000 worth of stolen and counterfeit merchandise, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio.
Jones also cashed 12 checks, each worth more than $10,000, at his ex-wife’s store. The store was licensed to handle check-cashing services. Jones failed to comply with federal law by not reporting currency transactions of that size.
Jones filed an income tax return with the IRS claiming almost $99,000 in compensation by someone named Randy Banker, even though Banker was deceased. Ed Jones asked a customer of his Arrow Battery business, Battery Recycling Inc., to issue payment checks to Banker, and he provided the company with a Social Security number that he claimed was Banker’s, although it actually belonged to someone else.
Ed Jones provided this information so the company would prepare and issue an individual tax return. He created the fictitious person in an attempt to conceal the revenue from his illegal activities, officials said.
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