Gulfport man sentenced to 15 years in prison for 2021 gas station robbery

GULFPORT, Miss. (WLOX) – District Attorney W. Crosby Parker announced that Nelson Walker, 35, of Gulfport was convicted by a Harrison County jury of a robbery that occurred in July 2021.

According to the jury, on July 3, 2021, Walker walked into a gas station at the corner of 28th Street and Highway 49, yelling, “This is a robbery!”

Witness testimony and video footage showed Walker walking up to a clerk who was cleaning and assaulting her.

After assaulting the clerk, Walker approached a male clerk and said he was going to assault him as well. The clerk called 911 and went into a back office, waiting for police to arrive.

“Video surveillance from inside the store showed that after threatening the clerk, Walker went behind the register, attempted to open the register, but was unable to do so. Walker was then seen taking money that was left on the counter and walking out of the Circle K,” said Assistant District Attorney Matthew D. Burrell.

The jury was also given evidence that after Walker left the store, Gulfport police found him across the street and took him into custody.

Walker testified in his own defense, saying he did not intend to rob the gas station and was only going in to buy a drink and a bag of chips.

After deliberating for about two and a half hours, the jury convicted Walker of robbery. Judge Dodson sentenced Walker to a maximum of 15 years to serve, which was ordered to run consecutively to a separate sentence Walker is currently serving.

“I want to first thank the men and women who testified during the trial about what they saw that day. These witnesses did not ask to be involved, but they also knew that their testimony was necessary in order to be held accountable. This defendant needlessly terrorized a convenience store and deserved a 15-year sentence,” DA Parker said.

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