Memphis Woman with Multiple Felonies Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of a Firearm after Shooting Boyfriend in Domestic Violence Incident

Memphis, TN - Quineshia Townsel, 29, has pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm after shooting her boyfriend in a domestic violence incident. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the guilty plea today.

According to the evidence, on December 30, 2025, officers responded to a shooting at North Watkins Street and Burnham Avenue. Officers located a vehicle that had been struck numerous times by gunfire with the victim sitting inside. Officers located 1 live .22 caliber round and 6 spent .22 caliber casings in the front yard and driveway. Upon speaking with the victim, he advised the officers that he had been shot in the shoulder. The victim advised that he was shot by his girlfriend, Quineshia Townsel.

Upon being located by officers, Townsel admitted to the shooting and stated she hid the firearm in her residence. Investigators executed a search warrant on Townsel's residence and located a .22-caliber Walther P22 semi-automatic handgun. A database check was conducted on the firearm, and it was reported stolen in October 2018.

Townsel has a criminal conviction history of multiple significant felonies, including two convictions for aggravated robbery and one for attempted aggravated robbery - all of which prohibit her possession of a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

On August 19, 2026, Townsel pled guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Townsel is set for sentencing before District Judge Mark S. Norris on December 3, 2026, where she faces a possible sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison followed by up to 3 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "The presence of a firearm during a crime of domestic violence dramatically increases the chances that the victim will be fatally shot. Through our aggressive federal prosecution of prohibited persons, we can incapacitate and hold dangerous offenders accountable, send a strong message of deterrence, reduce violent crime rates, and ultimately save lives."

This case was investigated by the Memphis Police Department (MPD) as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative and was one of six cases recently referred and accepted for federal prosecution as part of MPD's Domestic Violence Prolific Offender Initiative.

Special Assistant United States Attorney Brandon Wright, of the United States Army Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps, prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice's nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys' offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department's commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump's Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

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