Federal Jury Convicts Junction City ManOn Murder, Drug Charges

TOPEKA KAN. – A federal jury today returned a verdict convicting a Junction City man of murdering a woman to keep her from giving information to federal law enforcement officers about his involvement in drug trafficking, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom.

Marcus D. Roberson, 32, Junction City, Kan., was convicted on the following charges:

• One count of murder in the March 3, 2010, shooting of Crystal K. Fisher.
• One count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine.
• One count of conspiracy to distribute powder cocaine.

During trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Roberson lured the 25-year-old Fisher to a location near an alley in central Junction City where he shot her four times at close range. Her body was found seated in the driver’s side of her vehicle in the 700 block of West 11th Street in Junction City. She had been shot four times. The murder weapon, a .40 caliber pistol, was found in a pond behind a Walmart in Junction City.

Prosecutors also presented evidence of Roberson’s involvement in a drug trafficking organization that distributed powder and crack cocaine in and throughout the Junction City area.

Sentencing will be set for a later date. He faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment on the murder count as well as the drug counts, and a fine of up to $10 million on each of the drug counts.

Co-defendants include:
Kennin Dewberry, who was sentenced to 240 months in prison.
Virok D. Webb, who is awaiting trial.
Jamaica L. Chism, who is set for sentencing April 14.
Alisha A. Escobedo, who is set for sentencing April 21.
Megan N. Fuller, who is set for sentencing April 21.
Caress Jackson, who is set for sentencing April 21.
Keishana Johnson, who is set for sentencing April 21.

Grissom commended the Junction City Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Warner for their work on the case. Also assisting in the investigation were the Riley County Police Department, the Grandview Plaza Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigations Command at Ft. Riley, the Dickinson County Drug Enforcement Unit, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Tourism and the Park City Police Department.