Ava, MO. – A man who was arrested around March of last year on sex-offender charges has received an official sentencing and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office has made an official statement regarding the ruling.
Referencing our original story on the case, this arrest happened on May 5th, 2023, and started with a traffic stop that led to the discovery of meth and drug paraphernalia. Arrested were Jennie Gardner, and Thomas Richardson. Further investigation revealed thousands of images of child pornography on Richardson’s phone.
As Richardson is considered a persistent sex offender in addition to other charges, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Regarding this case, Sheriff Chris Degase has stated “Looking beyond the traffic stop has been an emphasis of mine that I instill in my Deputies. This type of work is what ensures our children and our community stay safe from these child predators. Over the last 15 years, this arrest marked the 102nd arrest for crimes against children in our community.”
