Tupelo police charge man with firearm possession after bicycle stop

TUPELO, Miss. — Tupelo police charged a 33-year-old man with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon after officers stopped him while he rode a bicycle on South Gloster Street, the Tupelo Police Department said.

Police said officers contacted the man on April 13, 2026, and found a firearm and drug paraphernalia on his person. During the investigation, officers learned the suspect previously had been convicted of a felony, police said.

Authorities identified the suspect as 33-year-old Mathew A. Griffin of Tupelo. He was charged April 13 with one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, a felony offense that generally prohibits people with prior felony convictions from possessing firearms, according to state law.

On April 14, Tupelo Municipal Court Judge Allen ordered Griffin held on a $5,000 bond, police said. The charge will be presented to the Lee County grand jury. This is a developing story and will be updated as more details emerge.