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PROVO — A Provo man convicted on weapons-related charges while he was a licensed armed security guard, who had also applied to become a police officer three times in Utah and was denied each time, is facing new weapons charges.
Jonathan Rashon Richardson, 28, was charged Thursday in 4th District Court with being a restricted person in possession of a firearm. He was also charged earlier this year with two more counts of being a restricted person in possession of a firearm in 4th District Court. All three charges were enhanced to first-degree felonies because prosecutors say Richardson qualifies as a habitual violent offender.
In 2019, Richardson was charged in both Utah County and Weber County with possession, purchase, transfer or use of a firearm by a restricted person, a second-degree felony.
Richardson attempted to purchase a handgun in Ogden in 2019 in preparation to attend Peace Officers Standard and Training, according to charging documents. All police officers in Utah must be certified by that state division before they can officially become a police officer.
The gun sale was denied after a background check was conducted, which prompted the State Bureau of Investigation to further look into the matter.
Investigators learned the attempted gun purchase was denied because in 2013, Richardson "was adjudicated in juvenile court for sexual abuse of a child, which had it been committed by an adult would have been a second-degree felony," according to charging documents. The court documents also note that Richardson was convicted of theft in 2016 and shoplifting in 2015.
As the state looked further into Richardson's background, investigators learned that Richardson was discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps in 2018 "for a pattern of misconduct and is not eligible for reenlistment" and has "demonstrated a pattern of harassment toward coworkers at CBI Security and Metro Security," the charges state. And "due to his excessive use of force," Richardson — who has drawn his weapon at work — was demoted to an "unarmed security position," charging documents state.
As of the time the charges were written, investigators noted that Richardson was working as an armed security guard for an unknown company at an unknown place.
Richardson also "has a strong desire to become a police officer," and had applied to Peace Officers Standard and Training three times, charging documents state, but was denied acceptance each time.
Richardson pleaded guilty in 2020 in both cases to amended charges of attempted possession of a firearm. He received a suspended prison sentence and was placed on three years of probation.
The Utah Division of Professional Licensing also had Richardson surrender his license to be an armed private security guard and told him he cannot "reapply for licensure as any type of security officer in the state of Utah until five years have elapsed," according to the order from the division.
According to his new charges, police searched Richardson's Provo home on March 1 and recovered two guns. Richardson allegedly bought and traded with another person to acquire the two weapons. In the charges filed Thursday, police say they were able to trace the gun Richardson allegedly traded to get one of his new guns.
