A man who admitted to causing a Canonsburg father's deadly overdose will not get out of prison.
Mackenzie Roberts – who pleaded guilty to federal gun and drug charges in 2016 – wanted to get out because of the coronavirus pandemic, but a federal judge denied his request.
Have questions about the spread of the coronavirus? We have an entire section dedicated to coverage of the outbreak. CLICK HERE for more.
The judge ruled that Roberts failed to show a medical condition that would make him susceptible to COVID-19 and is still a flight risk and a danger to the community.
Sarah Robinson told Channel 11 she's relieved Roberts will stay in jail. In 2016, her husband, Mark, died after purchasing heroin from Roberts that investigators said was laced with fentanyl.
In his motion, Roberts cited the global pandemic, claiming jails across the country recognized the imperative public health reasons for reducing populations. Many prisons have released mostly non-violent inmates and those in poor health.
Since March, the Allegheny County Jail has freed more than 1,000 inmates in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19.
“Mr. Roberts was not concerned about Mark's safety at all, and I believe he was taking advantage of the hype with everything going on with the coronavirus and just trying to get back on the streets … and thank God he's staying put,” said Robinson.
Roberts will now remain in custody until his sentencing hearing. It’s unclear when that will happen, but under an agreement with prosecutors Roberts faces up to eight years in prison.
This browser does not support the video element.