A Leesburg man is facing a possible life sentence after being convicted in federal court on weapon and drug charges.
A federal jury found 43-year-old Alex Winters guilty of possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon, possessing controlled substances with intent to distribute, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Winters, who qualifies as an armed career criminal based upon his criminal history, faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years, and up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled. Winters was indicted on Feb. 24, 2021.
This case was investigated by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. According to testimony presented at trial, on May 7, 2020, deputies with the Collier County Sheriff’s Office stopped a car for a traffic violation. After a deputy noted the smell of marijuana, the car was searched. Beneath Winters’ seat, deputies found a loaded 9mm pistol and fanny pack containing distribution amounts of crack cocaine, powder cocaine, and eutylone. Also in the fanny pack, deputies found a digital scale, baggies, a drug ledger, and 9mm ammunition. Winters’s DNA was later analyzed and compared to DNA swabs taken from the firearm and he was determined to be a possible contributor.