Three-star defensive end recruit Donovan Winter was expected to sign a letter of intent with Michigan State on Wednesday, but an issue arose earlier in the week that prevented it. Winter was arrested, and now we know why.
According to a police affidavit obtained by Chris Hays of the Orlando Sentinel, Winter was charged with armed burglary and theft of a firearm. An officer responded to the home of a woman named Rebecca Thurmond, who said Winter is her daughter’s boyfriend and that she wanted him to be cited for trespassing. Winter had already left the property at that point, and Thurmond said her daughter informed her that the 18-year-old claimed to have stolen her husband’s — the girl’s father’s — firearm.
“While conversing with Thurmond about her legal options, Thurmond’s daughter advised that while Winter was on scene, he told her that he stole her father’s gun,” the officer wrote. “I had [the daughter] provide a written sworn statement, and went to the garage with father, Kenneth Thurmond, where he kept the gun, to confirm it was stolen. Kenneth confirmed that the gun was stolen from where he last had it in his garage. Kenneth also advised that a box of .22 ammunition was stolen as well, but the case the gun was in, was still there.”
Officers searched for and located Winter and found that he was, indeed, in possession of the stolen firearm. He was held in Seminole County jail on $2,000 bond and ordered to have a GPS device placed on him.
Since he never signed with the school, Michigan State is not permitted to comment on Winter’s situation. However, a report claims the Spartans no longer plan to offer him a scholarship. Winter also had offers from Kentucky, Michigan, Pittsburgh and Tennessee.
