Giants news: Armed robbery charges filed against former New York Giants cornerback DeAndre Baker were dropped on Monday, following a startling development in the former first-round pick’s legal saga.
Just sixth months after Baker and Seattle Seahawks cornerback Quinton Dunbar were wanted for armed robbery, the 23-year-old cornerback will no longer be tried and may return to the NFL.
Giants news: Criminal charges dropped against DeAndre Baker
In May, Baker was arrested for his alleged involvement in using a semi-automatic firearm to rob people at a party. He was charged with four counts of armed robbery with a gun, facing the possibility of life in prison with a 10-year minimum sentence if convicted.
He turned himself in to authorities a few days after the incident, later being released on bond and pleading not guilty on all charges. Baker’s lawyer first claimed that the young cornerback was playing Madden at the time of the armed robbery. The lead attorney representing the 2018 Jim Thorpe Award winner later said Baker was being extorted.
On Monday, the Broward County Sheriff’s office arrested the attorney representing the alleged victims. William Dean is facing extortion charges and is being accused of demanding $1.5 million from Baker in exchange for his clients to change their statements.
Following the arrest, the Broward State Attorney’s Office dropped all of its charges against Baker. They are no longer pursuing a case against him, with the focus now shifted towards Dean.
The Giants released Baker on Sept. 7, believing at the time that his NFL career was over. The No. 30 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft landed on the Commission’s Exempt list in July and could still face discipline from the NFL for violating the personal conduct policy. It’s worth noting, Dunbar has played in six games this season and avoided any discipline from the NFL.
Following the announcement, Baker’s attorney said his client is already eyeing a return to the NFL. In the end, Baker’s defense that he was being extorted proved to be accurate.
While he didn’t play well in his rookie season, allowing 49 receptions, Baker should generate plenty of interest from NFL teams. It’s been a whirlwind few months for the young cornerback, but he should be back on the field relatively soon.