Pa. officer gets 2 years in prison for tipping off ex-NBA player Richardson to drug raid

Pa. cop gets 2 years for tipping off ex-NBA player

PHILADELPHIA — A former Philadelphia police officer will spend two years in prison for alerting former NBA player and childhood friend Jerome “Pooh” Richardson to an impending drug raid.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Savage sentenced Rickie Durham on Monday for placing a call to Richardson just hours before an August 2005 drug raid that resulted in the arrest of drug kingpin Alton Coles and Richardson’s half-sister.

After the call, Richardson called his sister and told her to leave the New Jersey house she shared with Coles. Coles and Richardson’s sister were arrested hours later.

Durham was convicted in September of obstruction and lying to authorities. Durham will begin serving his sentence in July.

Prosecutors say they are disappointed with the sentence and considering their options.