All charges were dropped against former New York Giants first-round pick Deandre Baker on Monday.
The Giants cut the 23-year-old cornerback in September following his offseason arrest for allegedly participating in an armed robbery at a house party in Miramar, Fla.
On Monday, an attorney representing three of the four alleged victims in the case was arrested in Broward County (Fla.) on extortion charges. Investigators say William Dean wanted Baker to pay his clients $266,000 each and, in exchange, they would stop cooperating with police or change their initial sworn statements, according to the New York Daily News.
Dean told Baker’s attorney his clients would do “anything you want, so long as the money is right,” per the report.
After Dean’s arrest, the Broward State Attorney’s Office told reporters that all charges against Baker were being dropped.
“I’ve been saying this from Day 1, that this was an extortion scheme and that Deandre was the victim,” Baker’s attorney, Bradford Cohen, told NFL Network on Monday. “This event did not play out as they insinuated. And the case was dismissed.”
Baker is now eligible to sign with an NFL team, league spokesman Brian McCarthy told NFL Network.
“We have been monitoring all developments in the matter which remains under review of the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy. Baker remains subject to discipline based on results of that investigation,” the league said, per NFL Network.
Baker, the 30th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, did not take part in the Giants’ offseason program or attend training camp. He was placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt list on July 27 and formally charged on Aug. 7 with four counts of robbery with a firearm stemming from the alleged incident on May 13.
Baker and Seattle Seahawks cornerback Quinton Dunbar were accused of taking money and watches from partygoers while they were armed with semiautomatic weapons. Baker also allegedly made threats with a firearm.
Prosecutors declined to continue the case against Dunbar, who remains on the Seattle roster.
In 2019, Baker played in all 16 games as a rookie and started each of the final 15 contests. He finished with 61 tackles (48 solo) and eight passes defensed.
–Field Level Media
(Field Level Media)
