Minneapolis Felon Richmond Gets 70-Month Sentence for Illegal Firearm

ST. PAUL, Minn. — In a brutal turn of events, Minneapolis man Theophilus Richmond, 34, was today sentenced to 70 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for his illegal possession of a firearm.

Court documents reveal that on March 2, 2021, officers with a warrant stopped Richmond’s vehicle. Inside, they found a loaded Glock model 19 pistol, converted into an automatic weapon using the notorious ‘glock switch.’

Richmond pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a firearm as a felon on July 20, 2021. His prior felony convictions in Hennepin County and Washington County (Mississippi) bar him from owning firearms or ammunition.

Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud. Richmond’s case is a part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, a collaborative effort to reduce violent crime and support reentry programs.

This crackdown was the result of an investigation led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Minneapolis Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha H. Bates and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey S. Paulsen prosecuted the case.

Richmond’s conviction is a stark reminder of the ongoing battle against gun violence in Minnesota, where Project Safe Neighborhoods continues to make strides in curbing crime.