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DNS FOG Temp: 33 °F Wind: N at 3 mph Monday, December 2, 2002 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend November 20, 2002 Cisneros draws prison term By SARAH LEMON Mail Tribune The man who chucked Chinese food at the county’s top narcotics cop in an April road-rage incident will spend nearly three years in prison for selling drugs. His former girlfriend, who had no prior criminal record, will go to jail for helping him. Jorge Armando Cisneros, 24, of Medford, had vowed he would fight the drug charge, claiming it stemmed from police harassment. But facing trial and substantial evidence against him, he pleaded guilty Tuesday in Jackson County Circuit Court to a charge of conspiracy to deliver methamphetamine. The plea came after an agreement was struck with the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office. "We had the drugs; we had his voice, his phone records," said Matt Chancellor, deputy district attorney. Cisneros also faced misdemeanor charges of harassment and criminal mischief in connection with the April road rage incident. Lt. Jim Anderson, commander of the Jackson County Narcotics Enforcement Team, fired a shot at Cisneros when he threw a box of Chinese food into Anderson’s Dodge Durango. Cisneros pleaded guilty to the criminal mischief charge. Cisneros’ attorney, Michael Kellington, said he was prepared to bring the harassment case to a jury because he believed Cisneros threw the box into Anderson’s vehicle after the officer fired at him. However, the evidence against Cisneros discouraged Kellington from taking the drug case to trial, he said. About a month after the shooting, Medford police set up a sting to buy an ounce of methamphetamine from Cisneros through his then-girlfriend, 20-year-old Lyndsey Leann Lane of Medford. Officers taped a phone conversation between Lane and Cisneros while they were discussing the sale, Chancellor said. Cisneros verbally abused Lane and threatened her with violence if she botched the drug deal, Chancellor said. "I messed up, and I’m sorry," Cisneros told Circuit Judge Patricia Crain. "I just want to get back to my baby." "That’s your baby?" Crain asked, nodding to a child seated with its mother in the back of the courtroom. "Well, you’re a great father, aren’t you?" Crain asked Cisneros why he was involved with selling methamphetamine. He said only that he wanted to change. Crain ordered Cisneros to spend two years and 11 months in prison, pay a fine of $1,500 and complete three years of post-prison supervision. Charges of possession and delivery of methamphetamine were dismissed. Crain also dismissed the charge of harassing Anderson. Kellington asked Crain if Cisneros could report to jail in a week while he called Shutter Creek Correctional Institution in North Bend to see if Cisneros was eligible for its boot camp program. Cisneros could sit in jail for the next week, Crain replied, ordering deputies to take him into custody immediately. Lane, who had no prior criminal history, also pleaded guilty in Circuit Court Tuesday to two counts of possession of methamphetamine. Lane told investigators that she sold drugs for Cisneros 10 times, Chancellor said. Lane, who had been seeing Cisneros since she was 15, was not getting any money for selling the drugs, said her attorney, Jeni Feinberg. "How did you let this guy get you into that?" Crain asked. "I knew I made a mistake, and if I could take ’em back, I would," Lane said. Crain ordered her to spend 15 days in jail and complete three years of supervised probation. Lane’s driver’s license was suspended for six months. Cisneros was set to contest a batch of traffic tickets that he received from Medford officers in the months after Anderson shot at him. But with Cisneros in prison, the case probably won’t go to court in January as planned, Kellington said. Cisneros’ conviction also likely will prevent him from proceeding with a lawsuit against the county and Anderson, Kellington added. No criminal charges were filed against Anderson. He was not disciplined in connection with the shooting. Reach reporter Sarah Lemon at 776-4487, or e-mail [email protected] . 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