Florida prosecutors have dropped armed robbery charges against Seattle Seahawks cornerback Quinton Dunbar but New York Giants cornerback DeAndre Baker will stand trial on four counts of robbery with a firearm after allegedly stealing $70,000 in cash and jewelry from four men at a Miramar, Florida house party on May 13.
Baker, a 22-year-old Florida native faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and could get life in prison if convicted, according to Broward State Attorney Mike Satz, who announced the charges on Friday.
Both players were arrested on May 16 on suspicion of armed robbery, but although police initially said Dunbar was seen helping Baker, victims are conflicted on whether or not he had a gun.
Baker and Dunbar are currently on the Commissioner’s exempt list, meaning they are effectively on paid leave.
Florida prosecutors have dropped armed robbery charges against Seattle Seahawks cornerback Quinton Dunbar (right) but will prosecute New York Giants cornerback DeAndre Baker (left) on four counts of robbery with a firearm after allegedly stealing $70,000 in cash and jewelry from four men at a Miramar, Florida house party on May 13.
DeAndre Baker, 22, was a first-round pick of the Giants in 2019. He appeared in 16 games last season, making 15 starts and recording 61 tackles and eight passes defensed
The alleged victims have since changed their testimony since the May 16 arrests, but may have been coerced.
The New York Daily News reported on July 10 that authorities believe Dunbar and Baker took part in a $55,000 payoff to four alleged victims. That belief, according to the report, stems from a search warrant that revealed the alleged payoff took place at the office of Dunbar’s lawyer, Michael Grieco, on May 15.
However, Baker’s attorney claims his client refused the accusers, which is why Baker’s name was omitted when they recanted their testimony against Dunbar on May 15.
Baker’s attorney, Bradford Cohen, also claimed he told the Broward State Attorney’s Office and the FBI that his client was being extorted by the victims, who were threatening to go to gossip website TMZ with the allegation that both Baker and Dunbar stole thousands of dollars in cash and jewelry at gunpoint.
‘We received information from a third party that basically said if they don’t get paid, they were going to go to TMZ,’ said Cohen, as quoted by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. ‘We knew right away that this was extortion, and we weren’t going to be a part of that.’
The Sun-Sentinel also reported that Grieco is being investigated by the Florida Bar to determine if he had any role in the bribe.
‘There is no way he could not have seen this transaction,’ the warrant states.
In exchange for the alleged payoff, the four unidentified individuals signed affidavits recanting their initial statements to police, according to the warrant.
The alleged victims stated on May 15 that ‘any robbery or assault, with or without a firearm, did not involve Mr. Dunbar.’
After the Daily News report, Grieco issued a statement to the Seattle Times, denying the payoff.
‘Law enforcement, both local and federal, was advised from day one and beyond that the alleged ‘victims’ in this case were actively extorting Baker and Dunbar,’ Grieco said, per The Times. ‘These men fabricated a robbery story after waiting an hour to call police and then immediately began contacting the players demanding money.
‘My office obtained accurate and truthful affidavits consistent with the independent witness and my client’s account. These ‘victims’ are seasoned career criminals who have been arrested and/or convicted of crimes ranging from conspiracy to commit murder, to human trafficking, to filing a false police report. Mr. Dunbar took and passed a polygraph confirming that he did not participate or witness any robbery.’
Baker, 22, was a first-round pick of the Giants in 2019. He appeared in 16 games last season, making 15 starts and recording 61 tackles and eight passes defensed.
Dunbar, who turns 28 on July 22, was acquired by Seattle from Washington in March in exchange for a 2020 fifth-round pick. Last season, he recorded a career-high four interceptions in 11 games.