U.S. District Judge Timothy Savage sentenced Rickie Durham on Monday for placing a call to Richardson just hours before an August 2005 drug raid that resulted in the arrest of drug kingpin Alton Coles and Richardson's half-sister.
After the call, Richardson called his sister and told her to leave the New Jersey house she shared with Coles. Coles and Richardson's sister were arrested hours later.
Durham was convicted in September of obstruction and lying to authorities. During Monday's hearing, Durham said he never intended to warn Coles about the raid.
Durham will begin serving his sentence in July.