Hempstead man pleads guilty to drug and weapons charges, feds say

A Hempstead man pleaded guilty Friday in federal court in Central Islip to conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine between 2014 and 2016 and illegal possession of 10 firearms as part of his narcotics dealing, officials said.

Richard Bishop, 36, operated a drug stash house that the Nassau County police raided in 2016, officials said. Police found 10 firearms, including four pistols, three revolvers, a shotgun, two assault rifles, high capacity magazines, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and more than seven grams of crack cocaine, officials said.

“Ronald Bishop’s stash house contained an arsenal of firearms as well as illegal drugs, posing a great danger to the community,” said Richard Donoghue, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District, in a statement. “This office and our law enforcement partners will continue to work tirelessly to bring to justice armed drug dealers who put our communities at risk.”

Bishop’s attorney, Glenn Obedin of Central Islip, declined to comment, as did federal prosecutor Michael Maffei.

Bishop faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life imprisonment when he is sentenced.