Cedar Rapids Man Pleads Guilty To Distributing Heroin that Caused Overdose

A man who injected a woman with heroin that caused her to overdose pled guilty on October 7, 2015, in federal court in Cedar Rapids.

Richard Roberts, age 37, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of distribution of heroin.

In a plea agreement, Roberts admitted that, in August 2015, he injected a woman with heroin, after which the woman lost consciousness.  Roberts called 911 to obtain medical assistance for the woman.  When paramedics arrived, she was unconscious with labored breathing and a weak pulse.  Emergency responders had to revive the woman with Narcan, an opiate antidote.  Roberts admitted that, without the medical intervention by emergency responders, the woman had a substantial risk of anoxic brain injury and death.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Roberts remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Roberts faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, $100 in special assessments, and a lifetime of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consisting of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; the Iowa City Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham

Court file information available https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is 15-CR-79-LRR.

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