NEWARK, N.J. – A Hudson County man with a prior felony conviction was indicted Thursday for possessing a firearm and an extended magazine, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.
Richard Sharp, 25, of Bayonne, N.J., who is known on social media as “Famous Richard,” was charged with one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. He was arrested earlier in the day and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in Newark federal court, where he was ordered detained.
Authorities allege that on July 4, 2024, Sharp brandished a firearm with an extended magazine during an altercation at a Bayonne gas station and threatened to shoot bystanders. Days later, Sharp posted a video on social media of himself dancing while holding the same weapon.
On July 12, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Sharp’s home and vehicle, recovering a loaded Beretta M9 semi-automatic handgun with a defaced serial number and an extended magazine holding approximately 24 rounds of ammunition.
If convicted, Sharp faces up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the offense.
The indictment highlights ongoing efforts to prosecute felons illegally in possession of firearms.
