An American visitor arrested on charges of armed robbery and receiving found himself in even deeper trouble after police discovered a quantity of dangerous drugs in his possession.
Michael Ray Roberts Jr., 22, appeared before Magistrate Franklyn Williams Tuesday morning and pleaded guilty to the drug charge.
Mr. Roberts was arrested by police around 2 o’clock Friday morning in the Port Lucaya Marketplace for questioning in reference to armed robbery.
After being taken into custody, he was searched by officers and found in possession of an estimated one gram of cocaine. Mr. Roberts was convicted and sentenced to two years in Her Majesty’s Prison, and the court ordered that he be deported on completion of his sentence.
A resident of West Palm Beach, Florida, Mr. Roberts was represented by attorney K. Brian Hanna. He is expected to return to court for the Preliminary Inquiry into the armed robbery and receiving charges on November 7, 2005.
Mark Niekamp, 24, an American visitor from Ohio, staying at Island Seas Resort, went to the Port Lucaya Police station around 1:30 a.m. Friday morning and reported that he had been robbed by another U.S. visitor and an unknown Bahamian male.
Mr. Niekamp told the officers that he had been out drinking and having fun at the Bahama Mama nightclub in the Port Lucaya Marketplace, with the same visitor, later identified as Michael Ray Roberts Jr. and another person, when both decided to leave around 1:00 a.m.
According to police, Mr. Niekamp said he was going to catch a taxi back to the hotel when he was offered a ride by Michael in a car driven by the Bahamian male.
Mr. Niekamp added that instead of taking him to his hotel, the two men drove him to an isolated area where the driver allegedly pulled out a handgun and held him at bay, while Michael Roberts robbed him of $250.00 cash.
The young man was able to make it on foot to the Port Lucaya Police station, where he reported the incident.
Around 2 o’clock that morning while searching for the suspects with police, they spotted Roberts in the Bahama Mama club. Upon seeing the police, Roberts reportedly fled but was quickly apprehended and taken into custody.
Roberts was not required to enter a plea for the armed robbery and receiving charges.
Police are still searching for his alleged accomplice.
By ANGELO ARMBRISTER, Freeport News Reporter
