Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold voluntarily surrendered to authorities on June 24 in Florida after facing an arrest warrant in connection with a robbery and kidnapping in Tampa, according to the Florida state attorney’s office in Hillsborough County.
The Florida state attorney’s office announced in a press release that Arnold will face “multiple felony charges which carry a potential sentence of up to life in prison.”
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Police say Arnold was the primary conspirator in the alleged robbery and kidnapping plot. Arnold is now facing four counts of kidnapping and four counts of armed robbery.
Arnold has previously denied involvement in “what prosecutors allege was a revenge crime some of his associates are now charged with and awaiting trial for without bond in Florida,” according to police interviews and incident reports obtained by the Detroit Free Press earlier this year.
Here’s what we know about Arnold’s arrest and the accusations against him:
TERRION ARNOLD: Lions’ CB arrested; charges carry possible life in prison
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What did Terrion Arnold do, according to prosecutors?
The 23-year-old cornerback is facing charges related to a revenge crime. He and his associates are being accused of taking matters into their own hands.
The crime is alleged to have been a retaliation for two robberies that occurred at an Airbnb that Arnold was renting in Largo, Florida, according to documents obtained by the Detroit Free Press. Arnold estimated he had more than $250,000 in cash and goods stolen from the house he had rented from Jan. 25 to Feb. 1.
Arnold did not report the property stolen until 9:05 p.m. ET on Feb. 3, days after the robberies occurred, because he wasn’t initially aware anything had been stolen, he told police. He also declined to press charges in the larceny of his stolen goods, which included $100,000 in cash he had set aside to gamble at a local casino.
Terrion Arnold accused driver of theft, documents say
Arnold accused a driver he had hired for the vacation – Yan Lopez – of involvement in the theft and vowed to sue him. Lopez was among three men who prosecutors alleged Boakai Hilton, whom Arnold called “my childhood best friend” in a recorded interview with police, robbed and beat.
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Hilton is charged with three counts of felony robbery, three counts of felony kidnapping and one felony count each of conspiracy to commit robbery and conspiracy to commit kidnapping. Arianna Del Valle, Jasmine Randazzo, Lyndell Hudson, Christion Williams and Freddie Hughes all faced life in prison on similar charges.
Del Valle and Jasmine Randazzo pleaded guilty June 24, according Florida state attorney’s office in Hillsborough County. Randazzo was sentenced to four years in Florida State Prison. Del Valle entered an open plea, and sentencing will be set for a later date. Both are required to testify in future proceedings related to the case as part of their agreements.
Victims allegedly lured to house
Lopez, Daniel Tenesaca and a third, unidentified friend were allegedly lured to Del Valle and Randazzo’s shared apartment shortly after midnight Feb. 4, less than an hour after Arnold and friends detailed their missing items to Largo police.
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Lopez, Tenesaca and their friend were allegedly pistol-whipped, held at gunpoint and interrogated about their involvement in Arnold’s missing property case by a man who jumped out of a closet “holding an AR-style rifle.”
Del Valle allegedly filmed the assault on FaceTime.
A police report by Largo’s Shane Quick “explained that Freddie [from my case] would show up later and batter them as well. It was believed that Boakai was inside the next room of the apartment and that Terrion was outside in a vehicle. Detective Barnett explained that he was still actively investigating this case, but Yani’s mother had called him after I spoke with her. Detective Barnett advised that Arianna was currently in custody for three counts of kidnapping and three counts of robbery with a firearm.”
Prosecutors further alleged in a motion for pretrial detention that Hilton “gave directions to all the co-defendants regarding luring Daniel Tenesaca to the residence and actions to take when he arrived” and later “joined the livestream to watch and direct actions against the victim.”
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Driver claimed Terrion Arnold theft was an inside job
Lopez has denied taking Arnold’s belongings and, according to a police report, he said “he believes it was someone in Terrion’s inner circle who had taken the items” and “he was attacked to make it look like they were trying to find the items, when it was actually one of them who took everything.”
“That’s all that happened,” Lopez said in the 53-minute recording of his interview. “And then Monday, cool. Tuesday, by that Tuesday night going into Wednesday, that’s when we were held hostage.”
Arnold is the seventh person arrested in connection with the incident. Codefendants Boakai Hilton, Lyndell Hudson, Freddie Lee Hughes III and Christion Williams are still being held without bond in connection with the case. Del Valle and Randazzo entered plea agreements.
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Arnold continues to deny any involvement through his attorney and a statement on his behalf through a spokesperson:
“Terrion Arnold categorically denies any involvement in the matters underlying the allegations made against him and maintains his innocence,” said Denise White, CEO of EAG Sports Management in a statement to USA TODAY Sports. “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 lessen their sentences.
“Mr. Arnold looks forward to his day in court and is confident that the judicial process will lead to his ultimate vindication.”
Lions react to Terrion Arnold charges
The Lions released a statement to USA TODAY Sports regarding Arnold’s arrest on the night of June 24.
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“We are aware of the legal situation regarding Terrion Arnold,” a spokesperson for the team said in the statement. “We will not comment at this time out of respect for the ongoing legal process.”
Arnold is currently in jail without bond, according to the release. He is set to make his first appearance in Hillsborough County court June 25.
USA TODAY Sports’ Jacob Camenker and Jack McKessy contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Terrion Arnold arrested: What we know about alleged kidnapping plot, revenge crime
