District Court Judge Curtis V. Gomez sentenced Joseph Roberts, Jr., to a total of 39 months in prison Wednesday, according to a statement from U.S. Attorney Ronald Sharpe.
According to the news release, the 27-year-old Roberts was sentenced to 32 months for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and seven for possession of a firearm within a school zone. Gomez also sentenced Roberts to serve three years of supervised release.
Roberts was arrested Oct. 16 by V.I. Police Department officers after he was found in possession of a firearm in the area of the Julius E. Sprauve Elementary School on St. John.
Court records show that in August 2010, Roberts was convicted of unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute, and reckless endangerment. On Jan 26, he pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm within a school zone.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Virgin Islands Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigrid M. Tejo-Sprotte.
