TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold has been arrested and is facing felony charges related to a kidnapping and robbery that took place in Florida, according to official reports released on Wednesday. Arnold is alleged to have acted as the “primary conspirator” in an incident where three individuals in their late teens were held at gunpoint, assaulted, and pistol-whipped in February in Tampa, as stated by the city's police department.

The Hillsborough County State Attorney's Office confirmed that Arnold faces felony charges, although the exact nature of these charges was not specified immediately. This high-profile case has gained attention as Tampa police previously arrested six other suspects linked to the armed robbery.

Denise White, the CEO of EAG Sports Management, which represents Arnold, stated that he vehemently denies any involvement in the incident. White asserted that “there is no credible evidence linking Mr. Arnold to these allegations.” She further claimed that the prosecution is relying on testimonies from multiple convicted felons who have confessed to their involvement and may have motives to shift blame to reduce their own sentences.

Details surrounding the events in question reveal that in early February, Arnold and several friends had reported the theft of over $250,000 worth of property from an Airbnb rental in Largo, Florida. Initially, Arnold believed that two men in their late teens were responsible for the theft; however, investigators later determined this assumption was incorrect.

On February 4, after suspecting the two teens of the stolen property, Arnold and his friends managed to lure them, along with another individual, to an apartment. Reports indicate that two of Arnold's friends held the victims at gunpoint and physically assaulted them, while another friend streamed the events to Arnold. At a later point during the ongoing assault, Arnold himself arrived at the scene, and other associates of his were seen stealing belongings from the victims.

The victims subsequently reported the robbery to law enforcement, which has now led to the arrest of Arnold and the additional suspects involved. As a first-round draft pick in the 2024 NFL Draft after his time at the University of Alabama, Arnold has quickly become a starting cornerback for the Detroit Lions, and he hails from Florida.

In light of these serious allegations, the Detroit Lions issued a statement on Wednesday evening, acknowledging awareness of the situation but refraining from making any comments at this time.

Terrion Arnold surrendered himself to law enforcement on Wednesday and is expected to make his first court appearance in Hillsborough County on Thursday afternoon, according to the attorney’s office.