Crossett Man Sentenced to 37 Months in Federal Prison for Firearms Violation

            El Dorado, Arkansas – Kenneth Elser, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Samuel Calvin Richardson, Jr., age 33 of Crossett, Arkansas, was sentenced today to 37 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release for one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.  The Honorable Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing in the United States District Court in El Dorado.

            According to court records, on April 6, 2015, Crossett Police responded to a call of shots fired near a school in Crossett.  Multiple officers responded and found Richardson and another individual in the parking lot and noted a strong smell of alcohol.  One of the officers advised Richardson that he was going to pat him down for weapons.  Richardson responded negatively and began to backup and ran off on foot.  Officers caught up to him and took him to the ground when Richardson began reaching for his waist band and would not bring his hands behind his back.  Officers were able to get him under control and found a 9 mm pistol in a holster under his jacket when they patted him down.  Officers also found Richardson in possession of a badge at the time of his arrest.  The weapon had a live round in the chamber with four rounds in the magazine. Richardson was mirandized and interviewed the next day and stated that he knew he was a felon and shouldn’t have the weapon and that he found it in a house he recently moved into.  At the time he possessed the firearm, Richardson had a felony conviction for Felon in Possession of a Firearm in January of 2014 which was punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year. 

            Richardson was indicted by a federal grand jury in July, 2015 and pleaded guilty to the charge in November, 2015. 

            This case was investigated by the Crossett Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Wulff prosecuted the case for the United States. 

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Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov