Judge WM. Fremming Nielsen on Monday granted Richards’ request, and rescheduled the jury trial for Feb. 7, 2011.
Richards signed the waiver of speedy trial pleading during the motion hearing and pretrial conference.
Richards and his court-appointed counsel Michael Evangelista told the court they needed time to effectively prepare for trial.
Nielsen ordered an additional pretrial conference and motion hearing on Jan. 19, 2011. All additional motions must be filed and served no later than Jan. 5, 2011, while responses will be filed and served no later than Jan. 12, 2011.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric S. O’Malley, the prosecutor, did not object to the continuance.
The federal court has been asked by both parties to require Richards to undergo substance abuse evaluation instead of a medical evaluation.
Richards is facing a possible jail term of more than 10 years for conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, distribution of a controlled substance, carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
Richards has been released to his common-law wife and mother as third party custodians.
Richards, who resigned from the local police force on July 22, turned himself in to federal authorities after the grand jury indicted him on Oct. 21, 2010.
The indictment against Richards stemmed from his arrest on July 15, 2010 by local authorities for possession and trafficking of “ice.”
