Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Keenon Jamal Richardson, 23, was taken into custody early this morning when deputies allegedly discovered a stolen revolver beneath his seat during a traffic stop.

Around 3:08 a.m. on August 25, a deputy from the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office pulled over a car driven by Richardson after he reportedly did not stop while exiting from a gas station near the intersection of Tower Road and W. Newberry Road. The deputy noted that Richardson, who has a background in a juvenile gang, was the sole passenger in the vehicle.

Richardson is said to have handed over an ID card to the deputy, which revealed that his driver’s license had been suspended since 2021. Additionally, he failed to provide proof of car registration or insurance since the vehicle was not his. The deputy reported that Richardson was initially dishonest about his juvenile record concerning firearms and drugs.

The vehicle’s owner reportedly consented to a search, which uncovered a loaded revolver under the driver’s seat. The gun, which was not holstered and had its handle facing forward, had been reported stolen in Jacksonville.

After being read his rights, Richardson stated that the revolver belonged to someone else, claiming he was unaware of its presence in the car. Despite this, he admitted to knowing the gun and said he had recently used it with another person while target shooting in the woods.

When deputies questioned the individual who shot the revolver with Richardson, this person allegedly denied owning the gun, claiming it was Richardson who had brought it to the woods and left with it. The vehicle’s owner reportedly said she had no knowledge of the firearm.

Richardson has been charged with grand theft of a firearm, unlawfully concealing a firearm, and driving with a suspended license after a previous conviction. He has a juvenile conviction from 2019 and one adult misdemeanor conviction for driving without a license. Judge Meshon Rawls set bail at $42,000.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.