Iowa City woman wanted on theft warrant arrested on drug charges

Hunter
07/03/23

An Iowa City woman wanted on a theft warrant faces additional charges after being found in a vehicle with drugs.

27-year-old Tiara Roberts was a passenger in an Uber and stopped near the intersection of Van Buren Street and Highway 1 at 12:30am Monday as she had an active warrant.  A black container allegedly containing a crystal-like substance consistent with methamphetamine was found to her left, as well as a glass pipe containing burnt meth residue.  The items were only in reach of Roberts, as she was the lone back seat passenger.

The outstanding warrant comes from a June 23rd incident where Roberts was stopped that afternoon operating a moped near Highland Avenue and Boyrum Street. She allegedly gave false claims as to how she came to possess the vehicle, which was stolen.  The moped reportedly had been hot-wired, and Roberts didn’t have keys to the vehicle.  The officer noted that in the time since that incident, 3 other stolen mopeds were allegedly located within 100 feet of her South Van Buren Street residence.

Roberts was charged with drug and drug paraphernalia possession for the traffic stop, and 2nd degree theft from the warrant.  If convicted on the charges, she could be sentenced to over six years in prison.