On Wednesday, Florida gun owners received an early Christmas present courtesy of Gun Owners of America (GOA) and YouTuber Richard Hughes, who runs the FlyingRich YouTube channel. After a lengthy legal battle, GOA entered a legal settlement with the State of Florida and Port Saint Lucie. The settlement affirms that the state law against the open carrying of a firearm is unconstitutional in Florida.
Mr. Hughes and GOA sued Former Port Saint Lucie Sheriff Kieth Pearson and the state over a Sunshine State law that prevented its citizens from openly carrying guns outside very specific circumstances, such as open carrying a firearm while hunting or fishing. Other Americans in Florida risked arrest if they did not conceal their guns in public. Hughes is neither a hunter nor a fisherman, but he believes he should have the same fundamental human rights as someone participating in those activities.
Hughes chose to sue Port Saint Lucie because former Sheriff Pearson threatened to arrest anyone who decided to open carry a gun. The Florida man owns a dog and frequents a dog park located in Port Saint Lucie, so his concern of being arrested for open carrying was well justified. Mr. Hughes is also a gun rights activist and a GOA member who believes all restrictions on the carrying of firearms violate the protections of the Second Amendment.
Earlier this fall, another case in Florida took on the open carry law. That was a criminal case involving activist Stanley McDaniels, who was arrested for open carrying a gun while waving a copy of the United States Constitution at a Pensacola Intersection on July 4, 2022. He was arrested and charged with violating state law regarding the open carrying of a firearm. He was convicted in a Florida court of law. The man was sentenced to probation and community service, but he appealed the decision to the First District Court of Appeals in Florida. A three-judge panel ruled that the law was unconstitutional and struck down the conviction.
After the case was decided, GOA and Hughes continued their lawsuit to help put the final nail in the coffin on the anti-gun Florida State law. There was a chance that the ruling against the open carry law could be overturned in the future. By forcing Florida and Port Saint Lucie into an agreement, the legal victory assures that the Florida law will not return and could help other legal challenges to open carry bans.
This is a huge win for gun owners in Florida!
Open Carry is protected by the Second Amendment. Period. https://t.co/rAlauL7oOm
— Gun Owners of America (@GunOwners) November 19, 2025
Mr. Hughes was ecstatic about the legal win. He told AmmoLand News that after meeting with the GOA attorneys, he did not doubt that he would win his case. The YouTuber plans to open carry whenever possible.
“They say you can’t win without a team, so I want to thank Former Port Saint Lucie Sheriff Kieth Pearson for teeing it up for us,” Hughes said. “The Florida State and St Lucie County attorneys for perfectly illustrating the legendary ‘efficiency’ of government. The real MVPs, however, are Gun Owners of America. The GOA lawyers who are absolute chads—smart, aggressive, and effective. And to the members who fund the fight: this win is yours.”
The State, Port Saint Lucie, and GOA have agreed to the terms and are expected to file for dismissal within the next 30 days.
About John Crump
Mr. Crump is an NRA instructor and a constitutional activist. John has written about firearms, interviewed people from all walks of life, and on the Constitution. John lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and sons, follow him on X at @crumpyss, or at www.crumpy.com.
