TRENTON, NJ – Jerome Roberts, a 53-year-old man from Burlington County, New Jersey, has been sentenced to over 20 years in prison for his involvement in a major heroin trafficking operation. U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced the sentencing, which took place on Wednesday, with Roberts receiving 245 months in federal prison.
Roberts, also known as “Righteous,” was convicted in October 2021 of conspiracy to distribute and distribution of significant quantities of heroin. His trial, presided over by then-Chief U.S. District Judge Freda L. Wolfson, concluded after three weeks. The sentencing was conducted by U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner in Trenton federal court.
From October 2017 to October 2018, Roberts, along with Jakir Taylor and David Antonio, orchestrated a drug distribution network across various Trenton streets. The group was accused of planning to distribute up to 1.5 kilograms of heroin. Surveillance and wiretaps indicated Roberts managed the acquisition and redistribution of hundreds of bricks of heroin.
The operation culminated in coordinated arrests on October 25, 2018, where law enforcement seized over 1.4 kilograms of heroin from Antonio’s residence. The arrests involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, ATF, and several local police departments.