Convicted felon sentenced for illegally having guns, officials say
An Alabama man received a maximum sentence for illegally owning guns as a convicted felon, officials say.
Raymond Richmond, of Phenix City, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release after illegally having two guns, then when pulled over for a traffic stop, running away and throwing them in a bush.
Officials said Richmond has an extensive criminal history.
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In December 2020, a Muscogee County Sheriff’s deputy was on patrol in Columbus when he saw a car without a brake light.
The deputy tried to pull them over for a traffic stop, but the vehicle wouldn’t stop, instead continuing for several blocks.
“The message must be resoundingly clear for convicted felons in possession of firearms in Muscogee County: We will not accept this behavior at any level,” Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman said. “They must know that we will pursue them and seek to fully prosecute their crimes. The Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office stands committed to staying the course to fight for safer neighborhoods.”
A few streets away, near a residential part of the city, the vehicle slowed down and Richmond got out of the car with a black book bag and took off running, according to the Department of Justice.
After a brief foot chase, Richmond threw the bag into the backyard of a nearby house, then was apprehended. Deputies found the bag nearby.
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In the bag, the deputy found a .40 caliber Glock pistol with 26 rounds of ammunition, a .380 Kel-Tec pistol with five rounds, and crack, cocaine, pills and marijuana.
At the time of the incident, officials said Richmond was already wanted on multiple warrants, in addition to his previous felony convictions in Muscogee County court for obstructing officers, interfering with government property, and theft by taking.
As a convicted felon, having guns was illegal.
Richmond pled guilty to illegally possessing a firearm in April.
“Repeat criminal offenders are facing federal prosecution when they are caught with guns in Columbus,” U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary said. “It’s going to take many different approaches to effectively reduce violent crime; holding violent repeat offenders accountable for illegally possessing firearms is just one part of the overall strategy. We are thankful for the continued collaboration between law enforcement and community partners working to make Columbus safer.”
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