Jamestown Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Firearm Charges

A Jamestown man has pleaded guilty to drug and firearm charges following an investigation by local and federal law enforcement.

Richard Pearson, 47, admitted to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.

The case stems from a June 25, 2024, search of a residence on Newland Avenue in Jamestown, where investigators recovered cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, p-fluorofentanyl, suboxone strips, a digital scale, $200 in cash, and a firearm. Pearson, who was present at the scene, has prior felony convictions from 2018 and 2009 in Chautauqua County Court and a 2006 federal conviction, making him legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.

The investigation was conducted by the Jamestown Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. The OCDETF program targets high-level criminal organizations through a coordinated, multi-agency approach.

Pearson is scheduled to be sentenced on July 11, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.