Attorney Richie Roberts leaves the MLK Federal Courthouse in Newark after pleading guilt to tax crimes charges, Tuesday April 11, 2017. Newark, NJ, USA (Aristide Economopoulos /NJ Advance Media via AP)
Republished April 11, 2017 - 7:23 PM
Original Publication Date April 11, 2017 - 3:15 PM
NEWARK, N.J. - A former New Jersey prosecutor portrayed by Russell Crowe in the film "American Gangster" has pleaded guilty to failing to pay taxes.
Acting U.S. Attorney William Fitzpatrick said Tuesday that 79-year-old Richie Roberts pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to charges he failed to pay taxes going back to at least 2000.
Roberts told NJ.com (http://bit.ly/2o1NbFz ) after the proceedings he was "totally embarrassed."
As a prosecutor in the 1970s Roberts obtained an indictment against Harlem drug kingpin Frank Lucas. The case was portrayed in the 2007 film "American Gangster. Crowe played Roberts, and Denzel Washington portrayed Lucas.
Prosecutors say Roberts faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and fines up to $350,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 1.
News from © The Associated Press, 2017