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Ex-cop gets 9 months in prison
The federal court has revoked the supervised release of former police officer Florencio Q. Richards and sentenced him to nine months in prison for using drugs and other violations.
At a revocation sentencing on Monday, U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona agreed with assistant U.S. attorney Garth Backe’s and U.S. probation officer Gregory Arriola’s recommendation to impose a nine-month prison term on Richards, with credit for time served.
David Banes, the court-appointed lawyer for Richards, had recommended a sentence of just three months and supervised release.
Richards was arrested last June 16.
According to Arriola, Richards tested positive during drug tests and admitted to using methamphetamine or “ice” on May 12 and 18 and June 3 and 5 in 2017.
Arriola said Richards also failed to follow instructions about calling in every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and failed to report as instructed to the U.S. Probation Office last June 5, 12, 13, and 14.
Arriola said Richards also failed to report to a group counseling session, individual counseling session, and a drug test last June 3.
Richards, through counsel, admitted the allegations.
In January 2016, Richards was accepted into the Drug Offender Re-entry program. For violating the conditions of his release by using “ice” and other violations, he was sanctioned repeatedly and received prison terms.
In March 2017, Richards was terminated from the DORE program and received a one-month prison term.
In 2011, the federal court sentenced him to 24 months in prison for distributing “ice” while he was still an officer.
