Richard Sharp, a 24-year-old social media prankster known as Famous Richard, found himself on the wrong side of the law after attempting to taunt a Port Authority Police officer on December 22. The aspiring comedian and drill rapper had a penchant for antagonising law enforcement officers, but this time, his antics resulted in an attempted robbery charge.
According to the Port Authority Police Benevolent Association’s Instagram post, Sharp approached Port Authority Police Officer Bradley DeSalvo at the 8th Avenue entrance of the Port Authority Bus Terminal with the intention of filming another one of his confrontational encounters. However, Officer DeSalvo quickly recognised Sharp as a wanted man from a recent robbery attempt in Manhattan and promptly arrested him.
A post shared by Port Authority PBA (@papd911)
The criminal complaint filed by Manhattan prosecutors revealed that Sharp was wanted for an incident at a smoke shop on Broadway. He allegedly engaged in a dispute with employees over the price of the property and, at one point, unzipped his black coat, revealing what appeared to be a gun, according to a report by New York Post. After leaving the store, he became the subject of a police manhunt.
Sharp, who is identified as a member of Chicago’s Black Disciples street gang, has a history of provoking law enforcement officers through social media. He has filmed himself approaching officers, taunting them, and even attempting to reach for their guns. Previous videos show him referring to officers as “shorty” and making explicit references to King David, a nod to Black Disciples founder David Barksdale.
In April, Sharp posted a video on social media where he berated and ridiculed an Asian-American officer in Times Square. Law enforcement officials issued an alert in the spring, stating that Sharp had been attempting to snatch guns from officers on patrol. Despite his previous encounters with the law, Sharp remained defiant on TikTok, stating, “Ya’ll not gonna catch me. I don’t know why ya’ll posting this. Ya’ll not catching me. I’m gonna be in Mexico somewhere on King David,” the NY Post report added.
In May, Sharp faced charges of obstruction, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct in Queens, but he was later released. Law enforcement sources claimed he displayed a different demeanour behind bars, reportedly crying like a baby. Sharp pleaded not guilty to the first-degree attempted robbery charge during his arraignment on Friday and was released without bail. He is scheduled to appear before court again in February to face the charges brought against him.
What's your reaction?
Comments
0 comment