DeAndre Baker turned himself in to authorities in South Florida on Saturday morning, his attorney proclaiming his innocence.
The former Georgia All-American and Jim Thorpe Award winner stands accused of four counts of aggravated assault with a firearm and four counts of armed robbery stemming from an alleged incident that occurred late Wednesday night.
The Miramar (Fla.) Police Department issued an arrest warrant for Baker and Seattle Seahawks cornerback Quinton Dunbar on Thursday.
Dunbar was also charged with four attempts of armed robbery by the Miramar Police Department.
RELATED: Baker wanted on multiple counts of robbery, assault
Baker, who has been booked into a Broward County jail, is alleged to have pulled out a semi-automatic weapon after an argument broke out and pointed it at a guest.
The arrest warrant states Baker told two individuals to take money and valuables from party guests, and that he directed a man in a red mask to shoot a person.
Baker’s attorney Bradley Cohen, issued a statement on his Instagram on Friday claiming to have affidavits from several witnesses who dispute the charges against Baker.
“We understand that the officers can only base warrants on what was told to them at the time,” Cohen said. “We have affidavits from several witnesses that also dispute the allegations and exculpate our client.”
Cohen claims a private investigator gathered video evidence and seven affidavits over the past three days.
As of Saturday morning, Dunbar had not turned himself in.
The New York Post reports that “If Baker is found guilty of holding a semi-automatic weapon, he could face a mandatory minimum of 15 years for each of the four armed robbery charges, under Florida law.”
RELATED: New York Post says Baker’s worries go beyond Giants
The New York newspaper reported on Friday that the charges Baker is facing trigger the league’s Personal Conduct Policy, which in the past have led to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell making a disciplinary ruling.
The New York Giants selected Georgia players Andrew Thomas and Tae Crowder in this year’s NFL draft.
RELATED: Kirby Smart explains why Thomas was first OT selected
According to The Post, Kirby Smart explained how Baker and Thomas are different.
“I love DeAndre … He was a very different personality,’’ Smart said of Baker. “He and Andrew would be similar in that they both don’t love to talk to the media a whole bunch. Neither of those two kids grew up doing that all the time.
RELATED: Kirby Smart supports DeAndre Baker’s decision to skip bowl
“DeAndre is different than Andrew,” Smart said. “DeAndre comes from a little tougher background, he’s from Miami, he grew up down there and he never wanted to be in the limelight, he didn’t enjoy doing the interviews.”
Baker was the first cornerback taken in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Giants trading up to select him No. 30 overall.
DeAndre Baker NFL combine video
Attorney Bradley Cohen statement
(from Instagram)
