San Bernardino man sentenced to federal prison for deadly armed robbery during drug deal

A 20-year-old San Bernardino man has been sentenced to federal prison for arranging a drug deal that ended up in a deadly shooting in 2021. 

Dillion Jones was sentenced to 186 months, or 15-and-a-half years, and ordered to pay $14,342 in restitution on Monday by United States District Judge Jesus G. Bernal, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office. 

He is the third person sentenced in the incident, after San Bernardino brothers Rontrell Brainell Shaw, 22, and Martrell Patrick Shaw, 20, were sentenced to 14 and 20 years in federal prison, respectively. Prosecutors say the older brother was the getaway driver in the incident and that the younger brother participated in the fatal robbery. 

The sentencing stems from an incident in July 2021, when Jones placed an order for one pound of marijuana with the victim, who was unnamed in the statement. 

"Jones placed the order knowing that neither Matrell Shaw nor Rontrell Shaw nor he had enough to pay for it," said the statement from prosecutors. "Instead, the trio planned to rob the victim at gunpoint. 

At some point during the armed robbery, which happened at an undisclosed area in San Bernardino County, one of the two robbers fired a gun twice, striking the victim in the neck and the torso. 

"Martrell Shaw and Jones then stole the marijuana and a firearm belonging to the victim, who later died from the gunshot wounds he suffered," the statement said. 

Jones pleaded guilty in March 2023 to one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, one count of interference with commerce by robbery, one count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence resulting in death, one count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and one count of possessing a stolen firearm. 

"This defendant's reckless disregard for human life resulted in a senseless murder and a grieving family left behind," said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. "We cannot accept violence on our streets. Today's sentence sends a message that my office is committed punishing and deterring violent gun crime."

The San Bernardino Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. 

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the San Bernardino Police Department investigated this case.