Department of Justice

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Deshawn Maceo Richardson (27, Jacksonville) to 10 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Richardson to forfeit a Glock .40 caliber pistol and ammunition. Richardson had pleaded guilty on October 07, 2020.

According to court documents, Richardson sold suspected methamphetamine several times in July and August 2019. Immediately following the final drug transaction, in the parking lot of a hotel on the southside of Jacksonville, Richardson fled from law enforcement on foot. While fleeing, Richardson dropped a stolen .40 caliber Glock pistol with a 30-round capacity magazine. The magazine had 17 rounds of ammunition and one round in the chamber.

Prior to these events, Richardson had been convicted of grand theft auto, sale/manufacture/deliver cocaine, sale/deliver heroin, and child abuse and therefore was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Beatriz Gonzalez and Special Assistant United States Attorney Cyrus P. Zomorodian.

This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce Federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the Fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence and enhances coordination of Federal, State, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes. For more information on Project Guardian visit www.justice.gov/projectguardian.