Man Who Attacked Pasadena Planned Parenthood Clinic Sentenced

Richard Chamberlain, a former resident of Altadena, has been sentenced for a long campaign of harassment and shootings at the Pasadena Planned Parenthood site between June 2020 and May 2021.

By News Desk

Richard Chamberlain was captured by Pasadena Police immediately after at least his 11th shooting with a BB gun.

Judge Michael Fitzgerald of the US District Court sentence Chamberlain to 30 months in prison and ordered him to pay $42,663.00 in restitution for what he described as a year-long ‘reign of terror’ during which Chamberlain repeated shot BB guns at the clinic, shattering windows, and, in one instance, nearly hit a client’s companion waiting on the front porch.

Chamberlain was previously convicted in Arizona on drug transportation charges. The California judge called Chamberlain ‘cold and calculated’ in his admitted attempts to harass and intimidate staff and patients of the Planned Parenthood clinics. He pleaded guilty in December 2022 to one count of violating the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, as an arsenal of thousands of rounds of ammunition and multiple firearms were found in his car and home.

Background

Beginning on June 27, 2020, Chamberlin fired BB pellets at the Planned Parenthood clinic from his car. The attacks caused physical damage to the clinic, including shattered windows, and served to intimidate the staff of the clinic.

On March 29, 2021, an employee of the clinic heard an object hit her office window, which caused her to fear for her physical safety and interfered with the performance of her job duties. The next day, at 8:30 a.m. while the clinic was open and receiving patients, Chamberlin again drove by and fired his BB gun at the front entrance. During this attack, a patient’s support companion was seated on the front porch and was nearly hit when the BB gun pellets peppered the banners directly in front of her.

On May 7, 2021, the Pasadena Police Department stopped Chamberlin while he was driving away from the clinic following yet another BB gun attack. On the front passenger seat of his vehicle, police found a backpack containing a .22-caliber pistol, which was loaded with 10 rounds of ammunition. In his plea agreement, Chamberlin admitted that he possessed this firearm and ammunition. He was not allowed to possess firearms after being convicted in Arizona in 2012 of a felony offense of attempted transportation of a narcotic drug for sale.

Following his May 7, 2021, arrest, Chamberlin attempted to dispose of his remaining firearms by selling four firearms to a local consignment store and transferring ownership of eight additional firearms to a neighbor. During a subsequent search of his home, authorities recovered thousands of rounds of ammunition, many gun parts, and multiple documents identifying and referring to Planned Parenthood.

The FBI and the Pasadena Police Department conducted the investigation in this matter.