Ex-DeKalb Hospital Security Director Indicted On Gun Charges

ATLANTA — The former director of security for DeKalb Medical Center, has been charged with stealing firearms meant for security personnel and then illegally selling those guns for profit. Russell Richardson, 43, who now lives in Dallas, North Carolina, has been indicted on 15 counts of mail fraud, one count of dealing firearms without a license, and three counts of unlawfully selling firearms to out of state residents.

Federal prosecutors said between 2016 and June 2018, Richardson used his position to fraudulently order numerous firearms from a local federal firearms licensee and then caused the resulting invoices to be submitted to the hospital for payment. DeKalb Medical Center paid the invoices, but never received the firearms. In all, Richardson allegedly diverted more than 90 firearms to his own use, including selling them for profit.

Richardson also is accused of using a hospital-issued purchase card for personal gain, charging $45,000 for repairs and services on his personal vehicles using a South Carolina mechanic shop located in South Carolina. The shop issued refunds directly to Richardson totaling approximately $20,000. Instead of returning the funds to the hospital, Richardson allegedly kept the money.