DNA leads to rapist's conviction

Monticello - It's been more than five years since Jason Jones broke into a woman's apartment on Evergreen Drive, but DNA tests led to justice.

Jones, 38, of Monticello, pleaded guilty Monday in Sullivan County Court to first-degree rape, a felony.

In exchange for his guilty plea, Jones is expected to get 20 years in prison when he's sentenced by Judge Frank LaBuda on May 11.

The attack happened on Sept. 8, 2000. A masked man broke into the single mother's Monticello home and raped her. Police recovered some DNA evidence from the scene.

In 2002, police got a hit on that evidence: The DNA matched a sample taken from Jones, who had gone to prison on a 2001 conviction for felony assault and unlawful imprisonment in Albany County.

Assistant District Attorney K.C. Garn said Jones was indicted in 2003. Jones claimed he was mentally ill and went through three hearings on his competence to stand trial. He was found competent.

A new DNA test was done last year to verify the match. With the results in, Jones pleaded guilty.