ALBANY -- Two men accused of kidnapping a high-level marijuana dealer in Albany last June are now charged with his murder.

Jason Benn, 37, and Ricky Thornton, 41, face allegations they murdered Steven Jackson, 41, of Guilderland, on June 13 at 40 Parkwood St. and that Benn dumped the body "beneath the surface, where it was unlikely to be found," according to a new indictment in Albany County Court.

Benn, known as "Jay," and Thornton, known as "L," were indicted on three counts each of second-degree murder, which carries a sentence of 25 years to life in prison. They also face burglary, first-degree kidnapping and conspiracy charges.

Benn also is charged with possession of stolen property for allegedly using the victim's credit card at a supermarket on Central Avenue the day of the abduction. He was indicted on a new charge of tampering with physical evidence for allegedly dumping Jackson's body.

Benn was arraigned on the indictment Monday before acting Supreme Court Justice Dan Lamont. Thornton, who is in state prison in an unrelated case, is expected to be in court later this week.

The two men were among those named in a January indictment in connection with Jackson's abduction.

The new charges followed the March 31 guilty plea of Anthony Davis, 40, known as "Inf," who admitted to second-degree kidnapping in the abduction of Jackson. Davis agreed to cooperate with authorities, who have been searching for Jackson's body for several months.

Davis' conviction followed the Feb. 18 guilty plea of Gino Uzzell, known as "G," who admitted to second-degree conspiracy. He also agreed to cooperate.

"With no physical evidence, it's evident that the DA's office must rely on hearsay, conjecture, speculation and the word of lifelong criminals in an attempt to make their case," said Holly Trexler, the attorney for Thornton.

Michael Feit, the lawyer for Benn, could not be reached.

Investigators say Jackson, known as "Swag," was a drug partner of Uzzell. They believe Uzzell, Davis, Thornton and Benn targeted Jackson to rob him of drugs and money at the Parkwood Street address, a marijuana storage house. A fifth alleged conspirator -- identified as Louis Chaney, known as "UB" and "God" -- was named in the indictment but has not been charged.

Jackson is believed to have been waiting for a drug shipment of 500 pounds of marijuana when he was kidnapped. Authorities say he was killed at some point during the abduction.

The indictment described the series of events as follows:

Thornton bought a GPS tracking device on Feb. 4, 2010. He asked Uzzell to begin surveillance on Jackson, which included placing the tracking device in a rental vehicle used by the victim. Between March and June 13, Thornton watched 40 Parkwood St.

He and Davis also directed another person to watch the location.

On June 11, two days before the abduction, Thornton and Davis entered the Parkwood Street apartment and directed a third person, who was not named, to make another key for the apartment.

On June 13, the conspirators communicated by cellphone from 8 a.m. to just after 11 a.m. Thornton, Davis and Benn abducted Jackson at 1:07 p.m. At 2 p.m., they went to his home on Stoneridge Court in Guilderland to commit an unspecified crime. Benn later tried to use the victim's credit card at Price Chopper.

Benn is being held at the Albany County jail. Thornton is in state prison.

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Jackson's disappearance has been investigated for links to two other Albany missing persons cases: Ashley Marie Carroll, 24, of Troy, who vanished May 6 after being dropped off by a friend in West Hill; and the disappearance of Donald Green, 50, of Schenectady, known as "Uncle Noonie," who was last seen Feb. 26, 2010, leaving the Silver Slipper bar in Albany. Schenectady police have said the circumstances of Green's disappearance are believed to be suspicious.

Reach Gavin at 434-2403 or rgavin@timesunion.com