The former director of security for a DeKalb County hospital has been indicted on 19 charges after allegedly stealing almost 100 firearms to sell for his own personal gain, authorities said.
Russell Richardson, 43, of Dallas, N.C., was the director of security for DeKalb Medical Center — now named Emory Decatur Hospital — between 2016 and June 2018, U.S. Attorney Byung J. "BJay" Pak said in a Monday news release.
Richardson faces 15 counts of mail fraud, one count of dealing firearms without a license and three counts of unlawfully selling firearms to out-of-state residents.
While employed at the hospital, Richardson fraudulently ordered dozens of firearms from a local federal licensee, submitting the invoices to the hospital for payment, the release said. However, the hospital never received the guns.
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Richardson is accused of taking about 93 firearms for his own use, including selling them for profit.
He also misused a hospital credit card, which was meant solely for gas purchases and maintenance for hospital vehicles, the release said. Instead, he allegedly charged about $45,000 on the card for repairs and services performed on his personal vehicles in South Carolina.
The mechanic shop later refunded Richardson about $20,000, which he did not return to the hospital, the report said. He’s accused of keeping the money.
The case is being investigated by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of Emory Decatur Hospital.
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