KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Kansas City, Missouri, man was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison without the possibility of parole Tuesday for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and for illegally possessing firearms.
Jacob Michael Richardson, 34, pleaded guilty on Nov. 15, 2021, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, according to a release from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Richardson admitted to selling methamphetamine and an assault rifle to an undercover agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on Aug. 10, 2020.
The undercover agent met Richardson at a local park and said that Richardson had a pistol inside his motorcycle helmet.
Richardson told the agent that he was a member of the United Aryan Brotherhood and had just gotten out of prison. He then showed the agent a photo of a firearm that appeared to be an assault rifle.
A co-defendant in the case, 31-year-old Brian Michael French, then arrived to deliver the AR-type, privately made .223-caliber rifle with no serial number.
When the agent examined the rifle, it didn't function, and Richardson said that the firing pin was at his house.
At his house, Richardson retrieved the firing pin, and the agent reassembled the rifle.
"The undercover agent asked Richardson if he had another firearm for sale, and Richardson showed him a Springfield .40-caliber pistol," the release said. "Richardson told the undercover agent he could also sell him PCP, cocaine, ecstasy, or marijuana. The agent paid Richardson $2,400 for the rifle with 29 rounds of ammunition and 22 grams of methamphetamine."
On Aug. 21, 2020, law enforcement arrived at Richardson's house with a search warrant and found a .22-caliber rifle and a Charles Daley 12-gauge shotgun in the bedroom. A safe was also found in the bedroom, which contained a Springfield .40-caliber pistol and approximately 296 grams of methamphetamine.
Law enforcement also found a pineapple-style grenade, five marijuana plants, various rounds of ammunition and body armor.
"Richardson told investigators he brokered approximately 100 pounds of methamphetamine over the past year," the release said.
French, Richardson's co-defendant, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm on Dec. 21, 2021, and is awaiting sentencing.
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