LONDON, KY - A former constable in Clay County, Ky., who has several prior violent felony convictions, was sentenced yesterday to over nineteen years in prison on drug and firearms charges.
A former constable in Clay County, Ky., who has several prior violent felony convictions, was sentenced yesterday to over nineteen years in prison on drug and firearms charges.
U.S. District Court Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove sentenced Jackie Roberts, a.k.a. “Jack the Tire Man,” for being a felon in possession of a firearm, possessing a firearm after being convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, possessing a firearm while being an unlawful user of a controlled substance, and trafficking hydrocodone pills.
Roberts’ sentence was enhanced by statute because Roberts qualified as an “armed career criminal.” A defendant becomes an armed career criminal when he or she has at least three prior qualifying violent felony convictions, three prior drug trafficking felony convictions, or any combination of the two. Roberts has two prior felony convictions for robbery, one felony conviction for burglary, and one for assault.
Roberts was convicted of the drug and firearm offenses following a jury trial last November.
Testimony at trial revealed that the government used an informant to make a controlled purchase of hydrocodone pills from Roberts. In a recorded conversation that occurred during this controlled purchase, Roberts told a cooperating witness working with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) that he kept a firearm with him for protection. Roberts was prohibited from possessing a firearm. ATF agents later found a loaded handgun on Roberts’ bed.
The investigation was conducted by ATF, Operation UNITE and the Manchester Police Department.. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented by W. Sam Dotson.
Under Federal law, Roberts must serve at least 85 percent of his prison sentence.
