Roberts, a convicted killer, has been sentenced to a minimum of 17 years in federal prison for his involvement in a drug ring that once dominated Trenton. He aimed to flood the streets of the capital city with a large amount of heroin.
In October 2021, following a three-week trial in Trenton, Roberts, a resident of Delran, was convicted of drug conspiracy by federal jurors.
On Thursday, June 13th, U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner handed down a prison sentence of 245 months to the leader of the Bloods gang.
In order to fulfill the requirements of the federal prison system, Roberts must successfully complete a minimum of 85% of the sentence as there is no possibility of parole.
According to records, he had been sentenced to 10 years in state prison for aggravated manslaughter. This was because he had hired two men from Monmouth County to shoot and kill a rival dealer back in 2001.
Roberts has a past conviction for dealing drugs at a state level, for which he served time.
Local, county, state, and federal authorities conducted a massive sweep, resulting in the arrest of more than two dozen people. Among them was him.
The law enforcement officials not only confiscated approximately 1.5 kilograms of heroin, but also discovered multiple firearms, including an assault rifle that was hidden within a concealed compartment of a vehicle.
According to U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Philip R. Sellinger, Roberts and his partner were involved in the regular collection, breaking up, and sale of numerous “bricks” of heroin, all obtained from a third associate.
According to the U.S. attorney, Roberts had made a single delivery of several pounds, which he called the “motherlode.” His partner suggested that they could “flood the streets” of Trenton with it.
According to him, the ring was active in Martin Luther King Boulevard, Sanford, Middle Rose, and Southard streets, as well as Hoffman and Coolidge avenues.
During the investigation, it was discovered that they imitated legal business practices by providing popular brands to customers and giving discounts based on the amount purchased. The products they sold had names like Bad Bunny, Black Panther, Obsession, and Super Bowl stamped on them.
Roberts chose to take his chances at a trial instead of accepting a plea deal from prosecutors that could have resulted in a shorter sentence.
Roberts faced a major setback as he was convicted of possessing, distributing, and planning to distribute heroin.
Special agents from the FBI Newark Division’s Trenton Resident Agency, along with the ATF’s Newark Field Division, and police officers from Trenton, Princeton, Ewing, and Burlington Township, were credited by Sellinger for their efforts in the investigation that led to the conviction and sentence secured by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Ramey of his Criminal Division in Trenton. Detectives from the Burlington County Prosecutorโs Office also played a significant role in the case.
Sellinger expressed gratitude towards the New Jersey State Police, the Mercer County Prosecutorโs Office, the Mercer County Sheriffโs Office, and the New Jersey State Parole Board for their assistance.