A man from Mobile, Alabama has pled guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of animal crushing, according to U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
44-year-old Richard J. McGuire pled guilty on August 2, in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
Court records stated that on March 29th, Moss Point police responded to an alarm at Tay’s BBQ/Shell Station on Highway 63. They found McGuire behind another business nearby and he ran when he saw officers approaching him.
Police released their K9 Officer “Buddy” to track McGuire when he ran. Buddy chased him into the woods when officers heard two gunshots. Buddy ran back to the police officers with a gunshot wound to his chest.
Officers found McGuire a little later that day and arrested him. He had a sawed-off shotgun and body armor. He isn’t allowed to have either of these things because he is a previously convicted felon.
Buddy survived and will return to work soon.
McGuire will be sentenced on November 15, 2022. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for possession of a firearm and 7 years for animal crushing.
