A Little Rock man, Richard Joseph Price, has been sentenced to 121 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The sentencing was handed down by Judge Timothy L. Brooks at the United States District Court in Fayetteville.
The incident leading to Price's arrest occurred on June 26, 2023. According to court documents, Arkansas State Police (ASP) received a report about an incident on Interstate 49 involving Price, who was believed to be armed. The parties involved had moved to a motel in Fayetteville where officers from the Fayetteville Police Department and ASP troopers investigated.
During their interaction with Price, law enforcement suspected he was under the influence of alcohol and arrested him for Driving While Intoxicated. A search of his truck revealed an open container of alcohol and a loaded stolen .9mm pistol with its serial number filed off, along with two additional loaded magazines. It was determined that Price was a felon at the time.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes announced the sentencing decision. The case involved investigations by the Arkansas State Police, Fayetteville Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Assistant United States Attorney Briana Robbins prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). This program aims to reduce violent crime through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. Reinforced by the Department of Justice in 2017, PSN focuses on developing effective strategies against violent criminals.