Representation for New York Giants cornerback DeAndre Baker expected charges against him stemming from an alleged armed robbery in May to be dropped weeks ago. That has not happened.
And at this rate, it’s not likely to happen any time soon.
Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News reports that a recently obtained arrest warrant cites evidence, including both video footage and direct messages on various social media accounts, that allegedly show one of the “witnesses” involved with robbery oversaw a pay-off of the four alleged victims.
Even more concerning is that the pay-off, reportedly orchestrated by witness Dominic Johnson, occurred at the law offices of Michael Grieco, the attorney representing Seattle Seahawks cornerback Quinton Dunbar, Baker’s alleged accomplice.
Detective Mark Moretti of the Miramar Police Department, who submitted the warrant reviewed by Judge Marina Garcia Wood, also reveals alarming direct messages between Baker and Johnson on Instagram that implicate Baker in the payoff.
“Johnson is telling Baker to come to Dunbar Lawyer’s office,” Moretti writes. “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,” the warrant continues. “Johnson appears to be nervous by telling Baker, ” Yooooo these people finna leave.”
The four witnesses have said they were paid a total of $55,000.
All four 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. Combined, the four men say they were paid a total of $55,000.
CCTV video footage also allegedly shows Grieco, Johnson, the four witnesses and an unidentified individual at attorney’s office on May 15 making an exchange on the alleged pay-off.
“On 5/15/20, I was contacted by Michael Grieco, attorney for Dunbar, stating the victims and witness have recanted their sworn/recorded statements against Dunbar,” the warrant reads. “However, I also want the court to be aware that all five individuals have been threatened and have expressed extreme concern to me regarding their safety. One of the individual(s) was forced to move out of his apartment. The other was receiving texted messages containing pictures of his passport, the same passport that was stolen during the robbery.”
Patrick Patel, one of Baker’s attorneys, say they were aware of the social media exchanges and the alleged pay-off scheme. In fact, Patel claims he was instructing Baker what to write in an effort to unearth information and help expose an extortion attempt.
“They just made our case even stronger,” Patel told the New York Post after the Daily News report surfaced. “We wanted to flush them out to see what they were trying to do. We didn’t go to the meeting, we didn’t pay, purposely.
“We were with DeAndre telling him, ‘Write him, ask him, what does he want, what times does he want to meet?.’ We were the ones who controlled the narrative. Baker had no intention of ever going. He was just trying to solicit the information of the blackmail from Coach.”
Cohen also sent out a tweet claiming they were with Baker at the time.
This is shameful reporting. Without digging into facts in regards to Deandre Baker and that he was in his attorneys office the entire day. https://t.co/F0ds6adwD1
— Bradford Cohen (@bradfordcohen) July 11, 2020
Patel maintains they have two independent witnesses that will confirm Baker’s innocence.
“Note when the bail hearing was handled we did not have the four affidavits that Mr. Grieco had from the witnesses on tape being paid off,” Patel said. “If we were part of that we would have had them, too.
“Did we solicit information to set these people up? Absolutely. They did exactly what I wanted them to do. They just made our case even stronger. This is why I guaranteed a dismissal.”
Meanwhile, Cohen also claims Baker took a lie detector test.
Andre Baker paid no one. The only statements we have are from several independent witnesses that were at the party. Mr. Baker also took a lie detector given by a nationally known examiner and was shown to be truthful. This is a smear tactic against Andre Baker.
— Bradford Cohen (@bradfordcohen) July 11, 2020
Whatever the truth may be, it seems like Baker still has a long road ahead and that his time with the Giants, fair or not, may be limited.
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