Weapons Charges Dropped for New York Jets Defensive Lineman Quinnen Williams
New York Jets defensive linemen Quinnen Williams got huge news on Monday morning that weapons charges filed against him in the spring have been dropped.
The March 6 arrest at LaGuardia Airport for criminal possession of a weapon came as Williams was allegedly carrying a Glock 19 pistol as he was ready to take a flight to Mexico. It was unclear at the time if Williams was attempting to board the airplane with the weapon.
According to the Queens District Attorney's office which handled this case, Williams "pleased guilty to disorderly conduct and must forfeit his weapon and pay a fine of $250."
He had a license for the weapon in Alabama but not in New York. On Monday morning, Williams legal representation, noted criminal defense attorney Alex Spiro, issued a statement that case has been settled.
“As we said from the outset, this matter has been resolved with no criminal charges - this case was nothing more than a technical issue with the storing of the firearm which is why the government gave Mr. Williams nothing more than a ticket,” Spiro said in a statement to Sports Illustrated’s Jets Country on Monday morning.
There will be no criminal record stemming from this incident and no probation.
Despite the charges hanging over his head, Williams has played very well this season. In fact, he along with left tackle Mekhi Becton are the only real bright spots on the 0-4 Jets in 2020. He has 16 tackles, two sacks and three tackles for a loss. He is easily on track to eclipse his rookie numbers from last season.
A request for confirmation from the Queens District Attorney office has yet to be answered.
The news on Monday should be a relief for Williams as the charges, which carried potential jail time, had to be a source of distraction.
