Jury Finds Richardson Guilty of Illegal Possession of Firearm

State Attorney Melissa Nelson announces that a Duval County jury found Norris Richardson Jr. guilty of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. With the verdict, Richardson faces up to 15 years in Florida State Prison. The Honorable L.E. Hutton will sentence Richardson at a later date.

On Feb. 24, 2024, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office’s Community Problem Response Unit was on patrol near 32^nd Street West when they saw a car roll through a stop sign, and the driver was not wearing his seat belt. The officers pulled over the car on Golfair Boulevard. Richardson was driving the car, and he refused to identify himself to the officers. Richardson continued to resist officers’ orders and was detained. A bag of marijuana was in plain view to the officers, so they ordered the other two people inside the car to step out as they conducted a probable cause search. A tan handgun was found inside the glovebox with a loaded magazine and one live round in the chamber. Richardson said the gun belonged to his girlfriend, who showed up to the scene and confirmed the style of firearm and that she owned the weapon. Richardson’s DNA was collected and compared to DNA found on the firearm, which was a match. Richardson is a previously convicted felon, is not legally allowed to possess a firearm, and is a Habitual Felony Offender.

The case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Zachary Belew and Fabrizia Wade.