Hiram, Georgia Three-Time Felon Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm Found at His Arrest
Richard Cornell Brown, a three-time convicted felon from Hiram, Georgia, has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison for possessing a firearm that was found on him when police arrested him on state charges, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia announced. U.S. District Judge William M. Ray, II imposed the sentence on October 20, 2026, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Brown is 46.
According to U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court, Brown's criminal history includes a state conviction for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and a federal conviction for illegally possessing a firearm. The previous federal case was prosecuted after Brown threatened clerks at the U.S. Courthouse in Rome and made videos of himself shooting the Bartow County Sheriff's campaign signs.
On May 10, 2023, the Paulding County Sheriff's Office arrested Brown on state charges after an attack on a Paulding County woman. When they arrested Brown, sheriff's deputies found a pistol in his possession. Due to his prior felony convictions, Brown was prohibited from possessing a firearm. Judge Ray convicted Brown of being a felon in possession of a firearm following a bench trial on August 18, 2025.
'Felons who possess firearms represent a very real danger to the community,' said U.S. Attorney Hertzberg. 'Brown's actions demonstrate his utter disregard for the law, and the Court's substantial sentence ensures that he will pose no threat to our community for nearly a decade.' Paulding County Sheriff Ashley Henson called the case 'a prime example of what can be accomplished when local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies work together.' The case was investigated by the FBI and the Paulding County Sheriff's Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Calvin A. Leipold, III and Kaitlyn Salinas. The Justice Department said the case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods and Operation Take Back America.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 位于佐治亚州Rome的联邦大楼与美国法院，该区联邦法院所在地。/ The Federal Building and United States Courthouse in Rome, Georgia, in the district where Brown was prosecuted. JJonahJackalope 摄 / Photo by JJonahJackalope, CC BY-SA 4.0, 经 Wikimedia Commons / via Wikimedia Commons
