An Orange, Texas, man has pleaded guilty to federal charges related to a kidnapping in Beaumont, Texas, U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs announced.
Putnam Darwin Richardson, 79, pleaded guilty to kidnapping and brandishing a firearm before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn on November 20, 2024.
According to court documents, on July 15, 2024, a kidnapping for ransom was reported to the FBI. The victim, a local attorney, was taken at gunpoint that morning after arriving at his office in Beaumont. The victim’s wife received a call from her husband’s phone, during which the kidnapper demanded $1 million in ransom, threatening to kill the victim if the money was not provided.
Richardson, a former client of the victim, was identified as the suspect. He had a prior conviction for kidnapping in 1984, which resulted in a 50-year prison sentence. On July 17, 2024, Richardson was arrested at a gas station, and the victim was rescued by law enforcement authorities.
Richardson faces up to life in federal prison at sentencing. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation.
This case was investigated by the FBI, Beaumont Police Department, Orange Police Department, and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Reynaldo P. Morin is prosecuting the case.
