Redwood County jury finds Lucan man guilty of witness tampering, threats

A Redwood County District Court jury found a Lucan man guilty last week for witness tampering and threats of violence. David Eugene Richardson, Jr., 51, had been charged with threatening to screw the doors and windows shut on the victim’s home and starting the house on fire with the victim inside.

According to the criminal complaint and testimony at trial, the Redwood Falls Police Department received a call from the victim on May 15, 2020, stating Richardson, Jr. made the threat to her two days earlier at the Redwood Falls Travelodge. The victim informed officers Richardson Jr. came to her hotel room, and confronted her about her cooperating with the prosecution in an ongoing criminal case in Monroe County, Wisconsin, where Richardson Jr. had been charged with assaulting the victim earlier.

During the confrontation, Richardson Jr. made the threat in an attempt to stop her from cooperating with the prosecution.

Redwood County Attorney Jenna Peterson announced on Tuesday that Ricardson Jr. had been found guilty of one count of Witness Tampering in the First Degree and one count of Threats of Violence, The jury deliberated for about a half hour on Thursday, March 18, before delivering the guilty verdicts around 3:30 p.m.

Richardson Jr. will be sentenced April 19th at the Redwood County Courthouse.