Following the July 14^th arrest of Sheldon Richardson, defensive end for the New York Jets, there have been a lot of questions surrounding the details of the alleged incident, as well as making sense of the charges: resisting arrest and traffic violations, as well as a recommended charge for endangering the welfare of a child. The news comes as an understandable jolt to devoted Jets fans, and many are clamoring for additional details on what happened, and what will legally come next. Read below for our take on the situation and some potential consequences for Richardson in this incident.

The Incident: On the evening of July 14^th, Missouri police stopped a vehicle allegedly travelling 143 miles per hour, and Sheldon Richardson, an additional two adult men, and a twelve year old child exited from the car. They were removed by police at gunpoint, for the police statement declared that Richardson appeared ‘to reach for something beneath his feet’, and later during the arrest a loaded handgun was recovered from underneath his seat mat. Despite this, he will not be charged with any weapons violations. He was also not charged with any drug related offenses, although he’s currently facing a four-game suspension for prior drug policy violations and the police allege to have spelled strong amounts of marijuana inside the car and on its passengers. No other passengers besides Richardson, who was driving, were charged during the incident.

Police initially attempted to engage the vehicle in question in a traffic stop, when it appeared that it was racing down the road with another car at high speeds. At that point, the car sped up to an extremely high speed, clocked at 143 mph, and turned off all its lights. When it turned into a nearby neighborhood, police followed the vehicle by observing its brake lights only. At that point, the Richardson and passengers exited the car and the charges above proceeded.

Resisting Arrest: While Richardson’s methods for allegedly resisting arrest have not been publicized, there are a number of methods by which this charge could be applied. The police statement indicates that the charge is classified as a Class A misdemeanor, which means it could be punished by up to a year in jail, or a maximum $1,000 fine. The statement also includes that Richardson should be presumed innocent until proven guilty. He has been ordered to the St. Charles County Circuit Court at the end of October for arraignment.

Child Endangerment:  If charged and found guilty for endangering the welfare of his 12 year old passenger, Richardson could face some heft prison time and thousands of dollars in fines. Depending on the degree of severity in the endangerment, this could be anywhere between three to twenty years, or up to $150,000. In the third degree, this charge does not likely result in incarceration barring any previous violations. One major result of this conviction would mean a lifetime of community supervision.

These are some pretty serious charges which carry heavy penalties if convicted. If you are ever in a situation where you find yourself facing similar allegations, seek the legal assistance of seasoned defense attorney immediately.  With 25 years’ experience, I’m the guy for the job.  Call me, David Polsky, today at (973) 686-9787 for a free consultation.