ALLEGED MARIJUANA USER CHARGED WITH POSSESSION OF SAWED-OFF SHOTGUN
Contact: Peter Deegan
Ray Robertson, age 20, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has been charged with one count of being an illegal drug user in possession of a firearm and one count of possession of marijuana. The charges are contained in an Indictment file December 8, 2010, and unsealed this week in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.
The Indictment alleges that, on or about October 27, 2009, Robertson knowingly possessed a sawed-off 20 gauge shotgun when he was an unlawful user of marijuana. It also alleges he possessed marijuana that day after he had one prior Iowa conviction for a drug offense.
If convicted on both charges, Robertson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 days’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 12 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, $200 in special assessments, and 6 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
Robertson appeared yesterday in federal court in Cedar Rapids and was held without bond. Robertson’s next appearance for trial is set for May 2, 2011.
As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bob Teig as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a cooperative local, state, and federal program aimed at the enhanced prosecution of gun crimes. The case was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 10-131.
