Habitual felon convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm

Gulfport, Miss. – District Attorney W. Crosby Parker announced that Quentin Martel Winters, Sr., 33, of Gulfport, pled guilty earlier this week to one count of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.

Circuit Court Judge Randi Mueller sentenced Winters to eight years to be served day-for-day as a habitual offender in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections.

The case began on June 11, 2020, when the Gulfport Police Department was called to Leggett Circle for a domestic disturbance. The caller told police that Winters was brandishing a firearm, was threatening to shoot her, and had discharged the firearm. The altercation between Winters and the complainant was ongoing when Gulfport Police arrived on scene.

“When Winters noticed Gulfport Police on scene, he attempted to hide a handgun behind a gazebo and then continued the altercation with the complainant. Gulfport Police ended the altercation and recovered Winters’ handgun, along with a shell casing in the gazebo”, said Assistant District Attorney Jasmine Magee who prosecuted the case.

Winters was prosecuted has a habitual offender due to him having multiple prior felony convictions, including simple assault on a police officer, aggravated assault, robbery, and taking away a motor vehicle.

Winters’ latest conviction as a habitual offender means that he is not eligible for early release and must serve all of his eight-year sentence. Judge Mueller ordered that Winters sentence to run consecutive to any sentence is he currently serving with the Mississippi Department of Corrections.