Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

DENVER – U.S. Attorney John Walsh announced that Robert T. Black, age 32, of Denver, was sentenced on June 30, 2016, to 90 months’ imprisonment.  Black previously pled guilty to one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.  In addition to imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge William J. Martinez sentenced Black to five years of supervised release and a $10,000 fine.

In October 2015, during a search of Black’s luxury apartment in the Riverfront Park section of Denver, Denver Police Department officers found four firearms, over 800 rounds of ammunition, over 173 grams of cocaine, thousands of pills of anabolic steroids, and a large sum of cash.  As part of Black’s plea agreement with the Government, Black admitted that he possessed the firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking business as a means to protect his narcotics and money.  Black has a prior 2005 felony conviction for drug trafficking, which makes it illegal for him to possess a firearm or ammunition. 

“Robert Black profited from selling poison in our communities and furthered drug trafficking and violence, which is a constant battle for law enforcement and victims,” said ATF Denver Field Division Special Agent in Charge Ken Croke. “It is a win for law enforcement and our neighborhoods to have him back in prison.”

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and the Denver Police Department.  The defendant was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jamie Mendelson and Kurt Bohn.

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