Olivia, Connie decides she wants Sonny back, and the two resume their relationship after Olivia steps aside. Sadly, Connie is murdered soon after, and A.J. is the prime suspect. Sonny tries to kill A.J., but agrees to leave him alone for Michael's sake. Sonny finds out Julian Jerome, former head of the Jerome mob, is alive, and he and his sister, Ava, are looking to gain control of Port Charles again. When Kiki breaks up with Morgan, he blames Sonny, and starts sleeping with Ava and working for Julian. Morgan eventually realizes how dangerous the mob is, and Sonny helps him leave the mob. A.J. is acquitted of Connie's murder and, in a moment of rage, Sonny shoots and kills him. Carly finds out, and decides to keep the secret so Michael won't find out. Sonny, meanwhile, finds out that Ava was responsible for killing Connie. He tries to kill her, but she reveals that she's pregnant with either his child or Morgan's. Sonny decides to keep her prisoner until the baby is born before killing her. Ava escapes, though, and hides out. Sonny starts growing close to Carly again, in the meantime. When Carly's boyfriend, Franco, finds out about their affair, he spitefully reveals Sonny's crime to Michael. Furious, Michael tries to kill Sonny, and Sonny agrees to let him until Morgan and Dante talk him down. Sonny is arrested for A.J.'s murder, and is sentenced to life in prison. He hands his organization over to Duke Lavery, Julian's enemy, and asks him to keep the Jeromes from taking over. While in prison, Sonny is threatened by Luke, who threatens his sons now that Sonny is in prison making Helena Cassadine elated. Sonny teams up with Julian, who is also being threatened by Luke, and the two break out of prison to stop him. Sonny finds a bomb on the Haunted Star ship, where Michael is throwing a party, and jumps overboard with the bomb to save Michael. Sonny survives, and is granted a pardon by the governor, since his daughter was on the ship. Sonny is released, and reconnects with Carly. He also gets custody of Avery, his daughter with Ava. However, Michael sues and wins custody of Avery, to get revenge on Sonny. Michael eventually decides to let go of his anger, and gives Avery back to Sonny. Sonny and Carly get engaged, and plan to get