Guilty plea in murder of Kansas City methamphetamine dealer

A 26-year-old Kansas City man on Thursday admitted his role in a botched 2014 methamphetamine deal that ended in a man’s shooting death.

James P. Roberts pleaded guilty to a federal charge of participating in a conspiracy to possess and distribute methamphetamine in which another was killed.

According to federal court documents, Roberts and three other men went to an east Kansas City apartment complex on Jan. 1, 2014, to buy methamphetamine from Jose Medellin.

Medellin, 40, was shot to death during the transaction.

Roberts was arrested the next day and later prosecuted for being a felon in possession of a firearm in a separate case.

The case is pending against a co-defendant, 27-year-old Marcell Shavers.

According to court documents, DNA testing established a possible link between Shavers and the gun used in the murder.

A sentencing date for Roberts has not been set.

He faces a sentence of up to 30 years in prison without parole as part of Thursday’s plea agreement.

This story was originally published February 1, 2018 at 2:49 PM with the headline "Guilty plea in murder of Kansas City methamphetamine dealer."