A Jamaican man was sentenced to 51 months in prison yesterday by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Donetta W. Ambrose for his role in a marijuana distribution drug ring.

Andrew Charles Williams, 39, who pleaded guilty in September to eight counts, including conspiracy to distribute 100 kilograms of marijuana and conspiracy to commit money laundering, also faces deportation when his federal prison term ends.

He entered the United States illegally from Jamaica, according to federal prosecutors and is under a detainer with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

He has been in prison since his arrest Nov. 13, 2003.

Along with others in the ring, Mr. Williams conspired to distribute 2,845 pounds of marijuana between 1998 and 2003. A co-defendant in the case, Jason Wilder, is scheduled to be sentenced on March 20.

According to the IRS, Mr. Williams was laundering money through Western Union wire transfers and by purchasing postal service money orders and sending them from Pittsburgh to California.