James Richardson, 40, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and was sentenced Aug. 26 to a total of 20 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, with two years suspended and an 18-year term to be served, the District Attorney’s office said in a press release.
Circuit Court Judge Kelly Mims accepted Richardson’s guilty plea in Tishomingo County, the release said. The charge stems from an Oct. 2, 2022, assault on Robert Andrew Huddleston Jr., the release said.
The District Attorney’s office said the case is a companion to one involving Randy Barrett Kelly, who pleaded earlier in the week to second-degree murder in the Huddleston case and was sentenced to 30 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections.
The release credited the Tishomingo County Sheriff’s Office with investigating the case and identified Investigator Adam Kostelansky as the lead investigator. It also thanked the Belmont Police Department for apprehending Richardson and named Assistant District Attorney Clay Cummings as the prosecutor. The release was issued by Jason D. Herring, district attorney for the First Circuit Court District.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
