United States of America v. Kelly Richard, aka Scorpio

Cincinnati, Ohio, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with five counts of sex trafficking minors, sexually exploiting children and illegally possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon.

Kelly Richards, 44, drugged, raped, abused, photographed and sold two teenage girls. He held them for days in a one-bedroom apartment the appeals court called “a house of horrors.” Richards provided the minors with cocaine before sexually assaulting them and forcing them to have sex with other men.

On appeal, Richards challenged his convictions and argued that his sentence was substantively unreasonable. The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the convictions and sentence, noting his “horrific crimes against multiple victims” and failure to show “a scintilla of remorse for his actions.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis J. Zouhary represented the United States on appeal. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle J. Healey and was investigated by the FBI and other members of the FBI’s Anti-Trafficking Task Force.

Defendant sentenced on Count 1 of the Indictment to Four Hundred Eighty (480) months imprisonment custody of the BOP followed by a life term of supervised release with standard and special conditions. Defendant sentenced on Count 2 of the Indictment to Four Hundred Eighty (480) months imprisonment custody of the BOP followed by a life term of supervised release with standard and special conditions. All sentences and terms of supervised release shall run concurrently, and the Defendant shall receive credit for time served. Mandatory Special Assessment: $500.