Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold faces life in prison after being arrested on the accusation of being the “primary conspirator” in an alleged kidnapping and armed robbery against three individuals he believed previously robbed him and others of more than $250,000 at an Airbnb in Lago, Fla, according to Tampa police.
Arnold is accused of masterminding a plot in which he and his alleged co-conspirators lured the victims to an apartment where they were viciously beaten.
One of the alleged victims was Arnold’s personal driver, according to the Detroit Free Press, and that individual has denied his involvement in the initial robbery.
The three adult males that Arnold and his six alleged co-conspirators allegedly victimized had “visible injuries from being battered, held at gunpoint, and pistol-whipped before their personal property was stolen and they were ordered to leave” this past February, per police.
Police arrested Arnold on four counts of kidnapping and four counts of armed robbery, and he faces up to life in prison if convicted of the alleged crimes.
He denied the allegations through a statement from his agency.
The other six alleged co-conspirators were also arrested.
Arnold had “multiple items of personal property” that belonged to him and others stolen on Feb. 1 from an Airbnb he would occupy occasionally with the alleged six co-conspirators and other friends, per the police.
The cornerback and three others reported more than $250,000 worth of property loss to the Largo Police Department two days later, per the press release.
Arnold claimed he had roughly $100,000 in cash, watches, jewelry, designer bags, shoes and a cell phone stolen from him, per the Detroit Free Press.
The 23-year-old believed that two of the three victims of the alleged beatdown played a part in the robbery, but Tampa police investigators concluded that they had not been involved.
Arnold is said to have reached out to two of his alleged co-conspirators on Feb. 3 to set up a meeting with one of the individuals they believed committed the crime and get him to come to their apartment.
Around midnight the next day, the three alleged victims visited said apartment and two of the purported co-conspirators hid in a closet until the trio entered a bedroom.
The pair are accused of grabbing the three men, holding them at gunpoint and hitting them, per police, and the trio had “personal property” stolen from them.
One of the co-conspirators allegedly streamed the altercation to Arnold and two others while they traveled to the apartment, according to the police.
Arnold is also accused of having given directions to three of the arrested individuals in a group chat.
The former Alabama star allegedly arrived roughly one hour later with two more individuals and told the pair to go inside, and the alleged assailants got rid of the three purported victims around 1:40 a.m. ET.
“All three victims were escorted out of the apartment by the armed suspects, forced into their vehicle, and the victims immediately left the scene,” police stated.
Three of the alleged co-conspirators then entered a car being driven by Arnold.
The victims then reported the crime to Tampa police and identified the suspects, per the press release, and police arrested six individuals between Feb. 4 and March 21: two 19-year-old females, a 23-year-old man, a 24-year-old man, a 26-year-old man and a 27-year-old man.
Two have since agreed to please deals, per the Detroit Free Press.
Arnold turned himself in at Orient Road Jail on June 24, but said he is innocent.
The Florida state attorney’s office accuses him of “coordinating and directing” the alleged robbery and beatdown, and he remained in custody as of 10:46 p.m. ET on Wednesday, per the Detroit Free Press.
He told Largo police a few days after the alleged armed robbery that he heard of “something that had ended up happening with [the driver and his friends] and some girls or something like that,” per the Detroit Free Press.
“Terrion Arnold categorically denies any involvement in the matters underlying the allegations made against him and maintains his innocence,” Denise White, CEO of EAG Sports Management, said in a statement. “There is no credible evidence linking Mr. Arnold to these allegations. 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 less their sentences.
“Mr. Arnold looks forward to his day in court and is confident that the judicial process will lead to his ultimate vindication.”
Arnold completed his second season in the NFL this past campaign, and he’s started 22 games and appeared in 24 since being selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
“We are aware of the legal situation regarding Terrion Arnold,” The Lions said in a statement, per The Athletic. “We will not comment at this time out of respect for the ongoing legal process.”
The Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office tweeted Wednesday that it will file a pretrial detention motion to “argue that Arnold remain behind bars until trail.”
The Florida state attorney’s office said in its release that Arnold “remains a danger to the community,” per the Detroit Free Acount.
Arnold will make his first appearance in Hillsborough County court on Thursday, per the Hillsborough account.
