Prison for Rainworth man who took over ‘lucrative’ county lines drug operation for 12 days
A Rainworth man who took over a lucrative county lines drug operation for 12 days has been locked up alongside his boss, a court has heard.
Jason Ramsden pleaded guilty to supplying class A drugs after police raided his home and found the "Joe" mobile phone line on May 30 2024, along with 16 grams of cocaine and £510 in cash, said Judge Julie Warburton.
On the same day officers uncovered £26,000 cash and an estimated £35,000 of cocaine and heroin at an address on Ogle Street, Hucknall, relating to Jake Carroll.
Mobile phones and designer purchases were found at the address, which was being used for the cutting and packaging of drugs for onward distribution, and Carroll's bank account revealed £26,000 in third-party deposits and £65,000 in cash.
Nottingham Crown Court heard Ramsden has 24 previous convictions for 41 offences, including possessing a firearm in 2017, and was jailed in 2020 for supplying class A and B drugs.
Judge Warburton told him his promotion from runner to manager of the drugs line was a "convenient solution to pay off your drug debt," but noted he has since "made strides in custody to address your addiction to cocaine."
He has engaged with services and attained an impressive number of qualifications, she added.
Ramsden, aged 33, of Dukes Meadow, Rainworth, received three years and four months in custody when he appeared in court on Wednesday.
Judge Warburton told Carroll: “You were clearly running this operation for six months. It was a plainly successful line and it did not operate without you there.
"You were the head and played the leading role.”
The court heard he has ten previous convictions for 14 offences, and was jailed in 2020, along with Ramsden, for supplying class A and B drugs, which aggravated the new offences.
She said he had “no qualifications and limited opportunities” after getting involved in drugs as a teen and building up a drug debt.
He has been in custody since last June but has made efforts to deal with his drug problems, undertaken various courses, and is now drug-free with enhanced prisoner status.
Carroll, 31, of Belleville Drive, Nottingham, admitted all offences.
He was jailed for six years, and 12 weeks were added to mark the breach of a suspended sentence for drug-driving last year.