Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold has been arrested in connection with an alleged armed robbery and kidnapping that occurred in Tampa, Florida, in February.
A statement from the city of Tampa said Arnold turned himself in Wednesday night. He is facing four counts of kidnapping and four counts of armed robbery.
According to a press release from the Florida state attorney’s office, Arnold will have criminal charges filed against him and “is facing multiple felony charges which carry a potential sentence of up to life in prison.”
“Arnold is accused of coordinating and directing the codefendants to lure three men to an apartment where the victims were robbed, beaten and held at gunpoint,” the statement from the state attorney’s office said.
“Arnold believed the victims in the case stole more than $200,000 worth of his personal items during a stay in his Airbnb property, although there is no evidence to prove the victims were involved in the theft.”
In a statement provided to The Detroit News, Arnold’s representation denied “any involvement in the matters underlying the allegations made against him and maintains his innocence.”
“There is no credible evidence linking Mr. Arnold to these allegations,” read the statement, signed by Denise White, CEO of EAG Sports Management. “Instead, the government appears to be relying on testimony from multiple convicted felons who have admitted their own involvement and may have substantial incentives to shift blame in an effort to lessen their sentences.”
The statement concludes, “Mr. Arnold looks forward to his day in court and is confident that the judicial process will lead to his ultimate vindication.”
The Lions said in a statement Wednesday night: “We are aware of the legal situation regarding Terrion Arnold. We will not comment at this time out of respect for the ongoing legal process.”
Arnold is the seventh person to be arrested in connection with the alleged incident.
Two of the codefendants, Arianna Del Valle and Jasmine Randazzo, pleaded guilty during a hearing Wednesday. Randazzo was sentenced to four years in Florida prison, and Del Valle will be sentenced at a later date.
Florida state attorney Suzy Lopez said in the release: “No one has the right to take the law into their own hands. A dispute over missing property does not justify kidnapping, violence or retaliation. This arrest is the result of months of investigative work and collaboration between the Tampa police department and our prosecutors. We will continue to pursue justice for the three victims by holding everyone accountable for their roles in this crime.”
Arnold’s name first was tied to the case Feb. 24, when a judicial order from Hillsborough County Circuit Judge J. Logan Murphy granted the state’s motion for pretrial detention against Boakai Hilton, another codefendant in the case. The order alleged that the armed robbery and kidnapping took place in retaliations to a pair of thefts that occurred at Arnold’s rental home in Largo, Florida.
Prior to the alleged armed robbery and kidnapping Feb. 4, Arnold was the victim of two thefts, Feb. 1 and Feb. 3, according to a statement from the city of Tampa. The thieves allegedly stole high-end bags, guns, jewelry, cash and a cell phone, according to a police report filed with the Largo Police Department on Feb. 3.
Text messages obtained by The Detroit News in March through an open-records request with the state attorney’s office alleged Del Valle and Randazzo orchestrated a meetup with the men believed to have stolen Arnold’s property. Arnold’s name was mentioned several times in the text messages.
A statement from the city of Tampa on Wednesday night said Arnold and Hilton “coordinated and directed Del Valle and Randazzo to contact one of the victims and lure him to their apartment.”
The victims drove to the location where two other codefendants, Christion Williams and Lyndell Hudson, hid inside a closet. When the victims arrived, Williams and Hudson “grabbed them, held them at gunpoint and hit them,” according to the statement. Del Valle allegedly streamed the incident to Arnold, Hilton and Freddie Hughes, another codefendant, as the three men were traveling to the apartment from another location. Arnold and Hilton allegedly gave directions during the assault, the statement said.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell said at the NFL’s annual league meetings in March that he ws choosing to trust Arnold’s account of the matter.
“I mean, until something happens, I feel like we’re going to be good here,” Campbell said at the time. “I’m going to trust what the kid said that we’re all right.”
Speaking with the media following a minicamp practice in Allen Park last week, Arnold was asked if he had tightened his circle after events that occurred during the offseason.
“I’m a home guy, hang around my family and stuff like that. But I mean, as far as things like that, I just feel like, kind of — when certain things happen in life, it’s best to, like, remain silent,” Arnold said. “I mean, you can speak on stuff if you want to speak on it, but I mean, at the end of the day, silence, sometimes, is the best answer.”
nbianchi@detroitnews.com
@nolanbianchi
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Lions’ Terrion Arnold arrested, facing felony charges in kidnapping plot
Reporting by Nolan Bianchi, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
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By Nolan Bianchi, The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
