A Dubuque, Iowa man’s attempt to flee from police ended in a spectacular crash, but not before leaving behind a trove of narcotics and a firearm. Richard Allen Roberts, 39, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced to four years in federal prison for his role in distributing crack cocaine near a playground and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court records, Roberts sold approximately half a gram of crack cocaine to a confidential informant near Jefferson Park in Dubuque on January 26, 2021. A week later, police tracked Roberts’s car from Dubuque to Chicago, and upon his return to Iowa on February 5, 2021, officers stopped the vehicle after it crossed the bridge into Dubuque from Wisconsin. A narcotics K9 alerted to the odor of narcotics coming from Roberts’s vehicle, and after an officer asked Roberts to exit the car, he put the vehicle in gear and fled.
The subsequent high-speed chase reached speeds in excess of 80 miles per hour and resulted in a collision with a snowplow, but Roberts continued to drive, eventually losing control of the vehicle approximately 3.5 miles away in Illinois. The car flipped onto its hood, coming to rest in a snow-filled median. When the vehicle was turned back over, officers found a plastic bag containing approximately 32 grams of powder cocaine, 44 grams of crack cocaine, over 9 grams of heroin, 1.5 grams of heroin and fentanyl, and a Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol.
Roberts had previously been convicted of 11 prior felony crimes in Illinois. He was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams to 48 months’ imprisonment, which will be followed by a 6-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a Department of Justice initiative aimed at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.
Roberts is currently being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 21-CR-1017-CJW-MAR.
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The Dubuque area has seen its fair share of crime, but this case takes the cake. Roberts’s brazen attempt to flee from police and his subsequent crash were a stark reminder of the dangers of narcotics trafficking. The sentence handed down by Judge Williams is a just one, and it serves as a warning to others who engage in similar activities.
This case is a prime example of how Project Safe Neighborhoods is working to reduce violent crime in our communities. By working together, we can make our neighborhoods safer and more secure for everyone.
The case highlights the importance of community policing and the need for law enforcement agencies to work together to combat violent crime. By sharing intelligence and resources, we can identify and disrupt the activities of violent offenders like Roberts.
Related Federal Cases
- Richard Allen Roberts, Crack Distribution, Iowa 2021 · New York
- Eric Allen Boyer, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Iowa 2018 · Missouri
- Wendy Jordison, Methamphetamine Distribution, Iowa 2020 · Wisconsin
- Kenez K. Parks, Crack Cocaine Dealing, Mt. Vernon IL, 2023 · Wisconsin
- Gregory Fugi Anderson Jr., Heroin and Cocaine Distribution, IA 2017 · Wisconsin
Key Facts
- State: Iowa
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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