KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Kansas City, Missouri, man who was wrongfully convicted in a so-called “doppelganger case” pleaded guilty on Thursday to separate charges, according to federal prosecutors.
Richard Jones, 43, pleaded guilty in federal court to being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted to being in possession of a Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol in February 2019 despite having prior felony convictions for burglary and robbery, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri.
Jones was convicted of robbing a Walmart in Roeland Park in 1999 and sentenced to 19 years in prison, which was reversed in 2017 after a nearly identical man was identified as a possible suspect. Jones was awarded $1.1 million from the state of Kansas after his release.
On Feb. 25, 2019, Kansas City police officers responded to a domestic disturbance involving Jones. He ran from police and officers saw a handgun in his waistband, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
A week later, officers spotted Jones getting into a vehicle and attempted to stop him. Jones fled from officers “in a dangerous manner and at high speeds” on Swope Parkway before he lost control of the vehicle and crashed, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
He then ran from the vehicle and was apprehended after a short pursuit.
Jones had prior felony convictions for burglary of a motor vehicle, robbery and sale of a controlled substance before the overturned robbery conviction.
He faces up to 10 years in federal prison without parole on the firearm charge. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
