TAMPA, Fla. — A lawyer for Detroit Lions’ Terrion Arnold says the cornerback “had no involvement whatsoever” in a kidnapping and robbery case out of Tampa, Florida.
Arnold’s name surfaced multiple times in pretrial detention records from Hillsborough County, Florida for Boakai Hilton, 23, who is accused of orchestrating a violent kidnapping and armed robbery on Feb. 4.
The Lions player has not been charged with any crimes and his lawyer, R. Timothy Jansen, vehemently denied Arnold’s involvement in the events that led to the arrests of Hilton and four other people.
“He did not participate in, nor was he present for, any conduct related to the alleged offenses,” Jansen said. “There is no evidence in police reports, text messages, or witness statements that implicates Mr. Arnold in any way.”
From left to right: Christion Williams (upper left), Boakai Hilton (upper right), Jasmine Randazzo (lower left), Arianna Del Valle (lower center), and Lyndell Hudson II (lower right). All have been arrested and are facing charges tied to a kidnapping and robbery in Tampa, Florida in early February. (Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office/WWMT)
According to court records obtained by News Channel 3 from Hillsborough County, Fla., Arnold had hired a driver to take him and his friends to and from an Airbnb rented in Largo, Florida.
Two thefts happened at the Airbnb after the driver was hired. Designer bags, $100,000 in cash, an $80,000 necklace and a cell phone issued to Arnold by the NFL were among the items taken, according to court records.
The thefts were reported to police, but Arnold began to suspect the driver may have had something to do with it.
“Arnold and his friends decided to take matters into their own hands,” according to court records.
“Mr. Arnold categorically denies these unfounded claims and maintains his complete innocence,” Arnold’s lawyer said in a statement.
Court records say the driver and two other people were lured to an apartment in Tampa by Jasmine Randazzo, 19, after one of the men had expressed a romantic interest in her, and that Hilton planned an ambush on them while travelling to Tampa with Arnold.
Texts from Arianna Del Valle, 18, identified as Arnold’s girlfriend in court records, said the Lions player and his friends promised to pay Randazzo to do it. Jansen denies that Del Valle is Arnold’s girlfriend.
Del Valle answered the door when the victims showed up, but said Randazzo wasn’t there, according to court records.
Once the victims were inside, two men armed with a rifle and handgun jumped out of a closet, court records said. Those men were Lyndell Hudson II, 26, and Christion Williams, 24, who are also charged with kidnapping and armed robbery.
These documents discuss a pretrial detention for Boakai Hilton in Tampa, Florida. (Hillsborough County Prosecutor’s Office/WWMT)
Click here to view the PDF file
Hudson and Williams took the victims into a bedroom where they interrogated, pistol-whipped and beat them for an hour, according to court records.
After some time, a third victim waiting outside got suspicious and went into the apartment too, where he was hit in the back of the head with a gun and taken into a bedroom with the other victims, court records said.
A gun barrel was stuck into the driver’s mouth by one of the attackers who demanded he “return the stolen property and Arnold’s phone,” records detailed.
“This was all done ostensibly to get (the victims) to admit that they stole the property from the Airbnb, which they never do,” court records said. “Indeed, there is no evidence that any of the victims are involved in the theft.”
While the victims were being held hostage and beaten, Hilton told Del Valle to live stream it so he could see and hear what was happening, court records said.
“Text messages between Del Valle and Randazzo show that Del Valle has been instructed to hold the victims in the bedroom until “Terrion [a]nd Boakai [Hilton] and Fredo [another friend]” arrive at the apartment complex,” records detailed. “Eventually, Hilton arrives at the apartment and is identified by one of the victims as they are walked out, one-by-one, back to their car.”
Del Valle, Randazzo, Hudson and Williams have all been charged with kidnapping and robbery, and they all know each other, according to the Tampa Police Department. Hudson and Williams also face three charges of aggravated battery.
Hilton is charged with kidnapping and robbery as well.
News Channel 3 reached out to the Tampa Police Department with some questions about the case. These include:
Does the department have an open investigation into Detroit Lions player Terrion Arnold?Has the Tampa Police Department sent a report/recommendation to the Hillsborough County Prosecutor’s Office on any criminal charges for Terrion Arnold?Is there a warrant out for Terrion Arnold’s arrest?
Department officials responded Friday afternoon, but did not answer any of our questions. News Channel 3 was told the investigation remains active and additional charges may be forthcoming as more evidence is processed.
“The Tampa Police Department recognizes the increased interest in the ongoing armed kidnapping and robbery investigation following the mention of Terrion Arnold by parties involved in the case during a recent pretrial detention hearing,” the department’s Office of Public Information & Media Relations said. “The Tampa Police Department remains committed to transparency and will provide further updates through official news releases only when such information can be disclosed without compromising the pursuit of justice.”
The Hillsborough County Prosecutor’s Office also responded to our request for comment Friday afternoon, noting Arnold has not been charged with a crime in their office.
“The facts are clear, and they do not support any claim of wrongdoing by Mr. Arnold,” Arnold’s lawyer said in a statement.
News Channel 3 additionally emailed questions to Detroit Lions representatives Thursday night, but has not received a response.
The Lions selected Terrion Arnold out of Alabama 24th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft held in downtown Detroit.
Arnold started 15 of 17 games his rookie year. In year two, Arnold recorded the first turnover of his career, intercepting Minnesota Vikings quarterback, and former University of Michigan star J.J. McCarthy in Week 9.
Arnold battled a shoulder injury for much of last season though. He missed nine games, including the final five when he was placed on injured reserve after Week 13.
Arnold is from Florida and attended high school in Tallahassee, according to his Detroit Lions biography page.