A search warrant allegedly indicates that NFL cornerbacks DeAndre Baker and Quinton Dunbar were involved in a cover-up following their arrests for armed robbery stemming from a May 13 incident in Miramar, Fla, according to a New York Daily News report on Friday.
According to the Daily News, a warrant obtained as public record from the Broward County (Fla.) Clerk of Courts cites video evidence, social media messages and additional testimony that allegedly show a payoff of $55,000 for the four victims of the alleged robbery, all of whom have since given sworn statements about being paid off to recant their original statements.
Baker, of the New York Giants, and Dunbar, of the Seattle Seahawks, were arrested May 14 after the alleged robbery the night before. Baker was charged with four counts of armed robbery and four counts of aggravated assault, and Dunbar was charged with four counts of armed robbery. Both pleaded not guilty to all charges and were released on bond.
On May 15, attorneys for both men said the victims of the alleged robbery had signed affidavits recanting their initial statements to police. Attorneys for both men also said in early June they expected charges against their clients to be dropped.
The Daily News reported Friday that the warrant shows the alleged payoff took place May 15 at the office of Dunbar's attorney, Michael Grieco, and was overseen by witness Dominic Johnson. According to the report, the warrant details incriminating messages on Johnson's Instagram account -- @powerballnick_305 -- sent May 15, including messages with Baker that implicate him in the payoff.
Per the Daily News, detective Mark Moretti of the Miramar Police Department writes in the warrant, "Johnson is telling Baker to come to Dunbar Lawyer's office. Baker replied, ‘Yo I'm in the city now getting cash how much to bring ?? I'm tryna get there too u ASAP.' ... There appears to be several phone calls between Baker and Johnson. Johnson appears to be nervous by telling Baker, ' Yooooo these people finna leave.'"
Another message that the Daily News said, according to the warrant, was sent by Johnson on May 15, reads: "We all heading to the lawyer now to get the charges dropped I got them n----s to sign the papers. Got them same n----s that said they got robbed to say they didn't ... Same n----s that got robbed I made them fix that sh-t."
The warrant also details CCTV video evidence, according to the Daily News, that shows Grieco, Johnson, an unidentified person and the four alleged robbery victims apparently making the payoff at Grieco's office on May 15.
Per the Daily News, the warrant says video shows Grieco bringing Johnson and the four alleged victims from the lobby to an elevator and up to his office at 2:26 p.m. Then, it shows Johnson leaving and bringing the unidentified person from the lobby to the elevator at 2:34, with the person opening a black bag and removing money. The warrant adds that the person "shows the open bag to Johnson and you can see a large quantity of money. Johnson then takes the bag."
The warrant goes on to say, per the Daily News, that all parties met in Grieco's office before leaving by 3:15 p.m., and Moretti writes in the warrant that he was informed by Grieco around 4 p.m. that the victims and witness had changed their testimony.
According to the Daily News, the warrant says one victim said he received $30,000, with a second saying he received $20,000 and a third saying he received $5,000 and gave half to a fourth victim.
Moretti also writes in the warrant, per the Daily News, that the four victims and the witness "have been threatened and have expressed extreme concern to me regarding their safety."
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.
--Field Level Media
