Pooh Dumps On The Criminal Justice System

In his 10-year NBA career, Pooh Richardson amassed 4,180 assists (84th most in league history). However, Pooh’s biggest assist seems to have come after his playing days.

In 2005, when a police officer buddy told Pooh there was going to be a raid on the home of his half-sister and her drug kingpin boyfriend, Alton “Ace Capone” Coles, Pooh tipped them off.

The cop, who had received a car and other gifts from Pooh during Richardson’s playing career, was one of 250 officers involved in the two-state, 23-property and 11-vehicle search at 2:30 a.m. on Aug. 10, 2005.

According to an unsealed indictment, Pooh called his half-sister, Aysa Richardson at 3 a.m., to warn her and her coke dealing boyfriend. That led to Ace Capone making a flurry of phone calls probably telling his buddies, “Flush that shit!”

In all, the authorities found $800,000 in cash, 10 guns and 450 grams of cocaine. Ace Capone was convicted a year ago for running a violent drug ring and is serving a life sentence in jail (plus an extra 55 years). Pooh’s sister was convicted of money laundering but has yet to be sentenced. Here’s a timeline put together by the Philadelphia Inquirer detailing Ace Capone’s Takedown.

Authorities say the calls had no real impact on the case, but they launched a formal investigation to find the source of the leak.

The officer, Rickie Durham, was a boyhood friend of Pooh’s and is now a target of the U.S. Justice Department and charged with criminal misconduct. Pooh, on the other hand, looks to be getting off scott-free.

It would appear Pooh did a pretty good job of wiping.