Jets defensive end Quinnen Williams will have his day in court next month.
Williams, who was arrested on March 5 at LaGuardia Airport for trying to board a plane with an unlicensed Glock 19 handgun, will appear in court on July 23, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini. His original court date, March 25, was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to reports citing Port Authority officials, Williams had the gun in his bag when he arrived at the Delta Airlines check-in counter. When the Delta employee responsible for Williams found out about the gun, a license check was made with the Port Authority police. Since Williams’ permit was valid in Alabama, but not New York, he was charged with criminal possession of a weapon.
The 22-year-old was scheduled to be formally charged during his first court appearance on March 25. Since he did not have ammunition on him when he was arrested, he cannot be charged with unlawfully possessing a loaded weapon — the same charge that sent former Giants and Jets wide receiver Plaxico Burress to prison for 20 months following an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound at a Manhattan nightclub in 2008.
The Jets selected Williams third overall out of Alabama in the 2019 NFL draft, making him the highest-drafted defensive player in franchise history. The defensive lineman’s rookie season wound up being somewhat of a disappointment, though, as he battled injuries and stretches of inconsistent play throughout 2019. In 13 games, Williams recorded only 28 tackles and 2.5 sacks.
Williams’ court date comes before the beginning of training camp, meaning he will not miss any practice because of the gun charge. Regardless of the outcome of his case, Williams is subject to punishment under the NFL’s personal conduct policy.