Lions' Terrion Arnold 'had no involvement whatsoever' in alleged crimes, lawyer claims

Nolan Bianchi, The Detroit News on Feb 27, 2026

Published in Football

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DETROIT — The attorney for Terrion Arnold denied the Detroit Lions cornerback's alleged ties to an armed robbery and kidnapping that occurred in Tampa, Fla., on Feb. 4.

In a statement provided to The Detroit News, R. Timothy Jansen said that "Mr. Arnold had no involvement whatsoever in the activities" that have led to the arrest of at least five suspects. Arnold, 22, has not been charged or arrested by Tampa police, according to both online court records and Jansen's statement.

Arnold's name surfaced several times in a seven-page judicial order from Hillsborough County Circuit Judge J. Logan Murphy, dated Feb. 24, that was issued after a pretrial detention hearing for Boakai Hilton, another co-defendant in the case. Judge Murphy accused "Arnold and his friends" of deciding to "take matters into their own hands" after Arnold was the victim of two thefts at a rental home in Largo, Fla.

"He did not participate in, nor was he present for, any conduct related to the alleged offenses. There is no evidence in police reports, text messages or witness statements that implicates Mr. Arnold in any way," the attorney said.

According to Jansen, the judicial order "improperly suggests Mr. Arnold's involvement in the incident" and incorrectly asserted that Arianna Del Valle, one of the co-defendants in the case, was Arnold's girlfriend.

"Both assertions are false, misleading, and entirely unsupported by the record," Jansen wrote. "Mr. Arnold categorically denies these unfounded claims and maintains his complete innocence. He was not involved in the crimes allegedly committed on February 4, 2026, in Tampa, Florida."

The order from Judge Murphy, which cites text messages as evidence, also accuses Arnold of being in the car with Hilton while the retaliation was being planned in a group chat and offering payment to one of the co-defendants for their participation. His name is also allegedly referred to during the act itself, according to Murphy: "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," the order said.

Jansen denied the idea that evidence suggests Arnold's involvement.

"We strongly urge members of the media to refrain from perpetuating inaccurate or speculative narratives. The facts are clear, and they do not support any wrongdoing by Mr. Arnold," the statement said.