Orange man sentenced for gun and drug charges

Published 11:37 am Wednesday, February 17, 2016

BEAUMONT, Texas – A 59 year old Orange, Texas man has been sentenced to federal prison for conspiring to possess “crack” cocaine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.

 Grover Lee Roberts pleaded guilty on November 24, 2015, to Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Ron Clark.  In addition to his term of imprisonment, Roberts’ was ordered to forfeit his residence and the gun recovered from his house to the Government.  In addition, he received a money judgment in the amount of $10,000.00.

 According to information presented in court, beginning sometime in 2008, Roberts began to sell ounce quantities of cocaine base from or near his residence in Orange, Texas.  In early 2009, Roberts was arrested and pleaded guilty to felony possession of a controlled substance in the 128th District Court of Orange, Texas.  Despite receiving a seven year probated sentence for these state charges, Roberts persisted in his crack cocaine distribution until his arrest on federal charges in October, 2015.  While executing search and arrest warrants at Roberts’ residence in Orange, Roberts told officers that he had a gun in his residence.  A subsequent search of his Roberts’ home produced a Hardballer, AMT Long Slide .45 caliber pistol and .45 caliber ammunition.

 This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Orange Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Craft.