IE man to plead guilty to firing BB gun at Pasadena Planned Parenthood more tan 10 times
LOS ANGELES - An Inland Empire man agreed Tuesday to plead guilty to attacking a Planned Parenthood with a BB gun on more than 10 separate occasions, according to federal prosecutors.
Richard Royden Chamberlain, 54, of Ontario, agreed to plead guilty Tuesday to violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, which "prohibits threats of force, obstruction and property damage intended to interfere with reproductive health care services." In court documents filed Tuesday, Chamberlain admitted that the attacks were meant to intimidate clinic workers, doctors and patients.
In addition to the nearly one dozen attacks, Chamberlain also admitted that he, a previously convicted felon, also had a loaded handgun on him during one of the attacks.
Between June 2020 and May 2021, court documents alleged that Chamberlain shot at the Pasadena facility 11 different times with BB guns, shattering windows and causing other damage to the clinic. In at least one of the attacks, one patient's support companion was nearly hit by BBs as they hit banners near where she was sitting, but ultimately no one was injured in any of the attacks.
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Chamberlain was arrested on May 7, 2021, after one of his attacks. Pasadena Police stopped Chamberlain as he was driving away from the clinic. In the car with him, police found eight BB guns, including some prosecutors described as being "designed to look like assault rifles," and a loaded .22-caliber pistol.
Following his arrest, court documents alleged, Chamberlin tried to get rid of his firearms by selling four to a local consignment store and selling eight others to a neighbor. Authorities later searched his home and found thousands of rounds of ammunition, gun powder, a dozen additional BB guns, a black cylinder resembling a suppressor, a gun-making kit, various gun parts and multiple documents identifying and referring to Planned Parenthood.
Chamberlain had been convicted in Arizona in 2012 of a felony offense of attempted transportation of a narcotic drug for sale.
Chamberlin agreed to plead guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and one count of forcible interference with the obtaining and provision of reproductive health services. If convicted on all charges, Chamberlain could face up to 11 years in prison. No court dates have been set yet.