Update:
Michael Grieco, the attorney for Seahawks CB Quinton Dunbar, denies the New York Daily News report and says the victims have been attempting to extort both Dunbar and Deandre Baker throughout the process.
“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 told the Seattle 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.”
DeAndre Baker’s lawyer, Bradford Cohen, has responded to the report regarding his client:
This is utterly false and defamatory to Andre Baker. We do not have any affidavits from the alleged victims of this offense, nor did these "victims" change the story as to dre baker. We accused the "victims" of extortion and reported to authorities from day 1.
— Bradford Cohen (@bradfordcohen) July 11, 2020
Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News reports that a search warrant from Broward County (Fla.) Clerk of Courts seeks access to iCloud accounts associated with Giants corner DeAndre Baker and Seahawks corner Quinton Dunbar.
According to Leonard, the warrant cites evidence collected through previous warrants that includes video footage and direct messages that allegedly show witness Dominic Johnson oversaw the payoff of Baker’s and Dunbar’s four alleged victims on May 15 at the office of Dunbar’s attorney, Michael Grieco.
Johnson is the witness previously referred to as “coach” in the original arrest warrant. Johnson told police that he’s known Baker and Dunbar since they were children.
Baker’s attorney, Bradford Cohen, has claimed to have testimony from two witnesses that they never saw him pull a gun or rob anyone.
However, the warrant obtained by Leonard summarizes Johnson’s own written words in his Instagram direct messages “corroborate a robbery had occurred and those who were charged were the participants.”
According to Leonard, all four of the victims have given sworn statements that they were paid at the office that day to recant their sworn initial statements against Dunbar by signing affidavits. In total, they were paid $55,000.
Detective Mark Moretti of Miramar Police Department, who submitted the warrant, reveals direct messages between Baker and Johnson on Instagram that implicate Baker in the payoff.
The warrant also says CCTV video evidence shows Grieco, Johnson, an unknown individual, and the four alleged victims at the attorney’s office on May 15 appearing to make the payoff.
One victim said he received $30,000 while a second said he got $20,000. A third received $5,000 but split it with a fourth victim.
Five individuals have been threatened and have expressed “extreme concern” for their safety, according to the warrant. One of them was even forced to move out of his apartment.
Baker and Dunbar turned themselves in to police back on May 16 and were later released on $200,000 and $100,000 bond, respectively.
Baker pleaded not guilty to four counts of armed robbery with a firearm and four counts of aggravated assault with a firearm while Dunbar pled not guilty to four counts of armed robbery with a firearm.
The NFL is investigating the incident and could announce discipline for the two players involved at some point.
Dunbar recently hired a second attorney.
Team sources tell Leonard that they would not expect Baker to remain on the Giants’ roster much longer.
The two players were partying in Miramar, FL. on May 13th and were allegedly hanging at a cookout when an argument broke out Baker pulled out a semi-automatic firearm.
Police said Dunbar assisted in taking watches and other valuables at the direction of Baker. In total, Baker allegedly stole $12,400 in cash from four people and four watches ranging in price from $600 to $25,000 worth $61,100 in total.
A witness mentioned that Baker and Dunbar were at another party a few days earlier where they “lost about $70,000” gambling.
Baker was allegedly wearing a red mask and directed another man to shoot someone who had just walked into the party.
Baker, 22, is a former first-round pick of the Giants back in 2019. He’s in the second year of his four-year, $10,525,716 contract that included a $5,675,064 signing bonus.
The contract includes a fifth-year option for the Giants to pick up for the 2023 season.
In 2019, Baker appeared in all 16 games for the Giants and recorded 61 tackles, no interceptions and eight passes defended.
Dunbar, 27, originally signed on with the Redskins as an undrafted free agent out of Florida back in 2015. He was waived at the start of the 2015 season and was later added to the Redskins’ practice squad before being promoted a few weeks later.
Washingon re-signed Dunbar to a three-year, $10.5 million extension through the 2020 season in January of last year. The Redskins later traded him to the Seahawks for a fifth-round pick this past March.
Dunbar is set to make a base salary of $3.25 million for the 2020 season.
In 2019, Dunbar appeared in 11 games and recorded 37 total tackles, one tackle for loss, four interceptions and eight pass defenses. Pro Football Focus had him rated as the No. 2 overall cornerback out of 113 qualifying players.
We’ll have more regarding Dunbar and Baker as the news is available.
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