John Anthony Roberts, Obstruction of Justice, West Virginia 2014

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A brazen act of defiance behind the wheel ended in a five-year prison sentence for a Hurricane man who threw guns from his car during a traffic stop on I-64.

On July 20, 2014, West Virginia State Trooper attempted to stop John Anthony Roberts, 47, for a traffic violation in Barboursville. However, Roberts refused to stop and attempted to evade the Trooper, leading to a high-speed chase.

While fleeing from the Trooper, Roberts threw two guns from his moving vehicle in an attempt to hide them. During his guilty plea in May 2015, Roberts admitted that he threw the guns from his car in an attempt to hide them because he was aware that he was prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and West Virginia State Police conducted the investigation, which was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods.

Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams handled the prosecution, securing a guilty plea and a five-year prison sentence for Roberts.

The Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative aims to reduce gun crime in the United States by working with existing local programs that target gun crime.

Roberts will serve five years in federal prison, paying the price for his reckless actions behind the wheel.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdwv/pr/hurricane-man-sentenced-federal-prison-obstruction-justice