Dubuque Felon Gets 4 Years for Dropped Gun

DUBUQUE, IA – A careless mistake—and a history of criminal behavior—landed 33-year-old Christopher Dion Roundtree of Dubuque, Iowa, a four-year federal prison sentence. Roundtree, originally from Chicago, Illinois, dropped a loaded handgun at a Dubuque laundromat in June 2017, and the weapon discharged when it hit the floor. The incident, initially dismissed as a “firework” by Roundtree, quickly unraveled into a multi-charge federal case.

According to court documents, Roundtree, a convicted felon, was at the laundromat to drop off his clothes when the .32 caliber “Derringer”-style pistol fell from his pants. The gun, which had an obliterated serial number and a round chambered, fired upon impact. Instead of immediately reporting the discharge, Roundtree allegedly picked up the weapon, stashed it in his SUV, and proceeded with his laundry. When questioned by a laundromat employee about the loud noise, he lied, claiming it was a firework.

Dubuque police weren’t fooled for long. Within hours, officers located Roundtree and his SUV, recovering the gun. A search of the vehicle revealed more than just the firearm; investigators found several baggies containing marijuana, crack cocaine, and powder cocaine hidden under the driver’s seat. Roundtree admitted to recently using marijuana, further complicating his situation. He ultimately pleaded guilty on October 26, 2017, to possession of a firearm by a felon.

The sentencing, handed down in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand, reflects the seriousness of the charges. Roundtree received 48 months’ imprisonment, followed by a two-year term of supervised release. Crucially, there is no parole in the federal system, meaning Roundtree will serve the entirety of his sentence. He is currently in the custody of the United States Marshals awaiting transfer to a designated federal prison.

Assistant United States Attorney Tim Vavricek prosecuted the case, with support from the Dubuque Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Guns, and Explosives. This prosecution was part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime through coordinated law enforcement efforts. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, at the time, prioritized addressing rising violent crime trends and revitalized the PSN program in 2017.

Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 2:17-cr-1041-LTS. The USAO for the Northern District of Iowa can be followed on Twitter at @USAO_NDIA. This case serves as a stark reminder that possessing firearms while being a convicted felon carries severe consequences, and attempts to cover up criminal activity will only exacerbate the penalties.

RELATED: Dubuque Gunman Gets 10 Years: Bar Fight Led to Federal Sentence