Tennessee Man Sentenced on Firearm Offense

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Maryville, Tennessee, man convicted of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm was sentenced by Karen E. Schreier, U.S. District Court Judge.

Daniel J. Richardson, Jr., age 62, was sentenced on May 31, 2019, to 5 years in federal prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

The conviction stems from Richardson knowingly possessing two firearm silencers, which had not been registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, in South Dakota in September 2018.  Richardson was also originally charged with sending threatening interstate communications regarding Jesuits at Red Cloud Indian School.  Although this charge was dismissed as part of the plea agreement, the United States offered evidence of the threatening communications at sentencing, a factor the Judge took into consideration in sentencing Richardson.

“I want to commend the outstanding cooperative efforts of the FBI and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety – particularly OST Police Chief Bob Ecoffey – in apprehending this individual,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons.  “This case is an example of how open lines of communication and quick, decisive action by law enforcement can prevent potential tragedy.”

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and local communities to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.

Richardson was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.