Government wants alleged operator of Joplin marijuana operation held without bond

When a detention hearing is held for a man who was allegedly running a marijuana operation at a Joplin residence, the U. S. Attorney will be asking that he be held without bond while awaiting trial.

According to a detention motion filed today in U. S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri, Jayme J. Richardson, 43, who is facing marijuana trafficking and drug charges and  has a history of criminal activity.

From the motion:

On December 27, 2018, the Missouri State Highway Patrol (“MSHP”) executed a search warrant for controlled substances at a residence in Joplin, Missouri.








The search yielded, among other things, a significant marijuana growing operation in a room above an attached garage.

In total, troopers discovered approximately 188 marijuana plants and the harvested stalks of approximately 61 additional marijuana plants. Troopers also found numerous firearms within the residence, including three semi-automatic pistols, four semi-automatic rifles, two bolt-action rifles, and one semi-automatic shotgun with a drum magazine.

One of the rifles was equipped with a silencer attachment that was not registered to Defendant.

The majority of the firearms were found in a room where it appeared Defendant was storing processed marijuana.

Court records indicate Defendant was convicted of unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia on or about February 4, 2010, in Jasper County, Missouri. Defendant was initially arrested for felony possession of a controlled substance and unlawful use of a weapon.

Moreover, law enforcement records suggest Defendant was arrested for second degree assault on or about June 27, 1993, in Jasper County, Missouri. The charge was later dismissed.

(Note: This post originally said Richardson was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. That is not correct. I apologize for the error.)