A Memphis man, Derrick Richard, 36, was convicted on federal firearms charges for possessing a gun as a convicted felon. He had three prior violent felony convictions, qualifying him as an Armed Career Criminal and facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years without parole, with sentencing set for January 30, 2026, before Judge Sheryl H. Lipman, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Richard was arrested on December 22, 2022, when a Memphis police officer found a .25 caliber Jimenez pistol in his pocket. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Under our PSN initiative, we promote public safety by removing firearms from the hands of prohibited persons and by removing dangerous felons from our streets. This recidivist armed career criminal is one more gun-toter who will now be removed from our community for at least 15 years," as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Derrick Richard was convicted on federal firearms charges as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence. The Department of Justice launched a strategy on May 26, 2021, to strengthen PSN. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jermal Blanchard and Jennifer Musselwhite for prosecuting the case and the law enforcement partners who helped with the investigation, as stated by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
