Former NFL Star Antonio Brown Arrested in Florida After Allegedly Failing to Pay Child Support

Former NFL star Antonio Brown has been arrested in Florida after allegedly missing child support payments, according to multiple reports.

The 35-year-old was arrested around midnight Sunday outside his home in Dania Beach, Florida, following a warrant issued by the Miami-Dade Police Department, local news reported.

Brown was taken into custody by the Broward County Sheriff’s Department after his arrest and has since been released on $15,000 bail, according to a local news outlet.

Wiltrice Jackson claims the former host owes her nearly $31,000 in child support for their 15-year-old daughter, Antanyiah, according to the outlet.

PEOPLE has reached out to Brown for comment.

Jackson spoke to TMZ following Brown’s arrest. “I want him arrested,” she told the newspaper. “Because, right now, he’s making fun of the referee, out of everything, because he feels like he’s untouchable.”

Jackson’s attorney, Pascal Michel, told TMZ that his client wants Brown to be an “involved father” and is not motivated by financial gain.

Antonio Brown #81 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looks on against the New York Jets during the game at MetLife Stadium on January 2, 2022 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Elsa/Getty

Instead, Jackson said her daughter is a gifted athlete who hopes to follow in her father’s footsteps.

“Having a daughter as an athlete like her, you’d think he’d be in her corner to support her,” Jackson told TMZ, adding that Antanyiah has received interest from more than 80 schools, including the University of Miami and Oregon.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The arrest follows a string of legal troubles for the former NFL star.

In December, an arrest warrant issued in Tampa wanted Brown on a domestic battery charge after an incident between him and an unidentified woman on Nov. 28, Tampa Police Communications Director Crystal Clark said at the time.

Antonio Brown. Christian Petersen/Getty Images

ESPN reported that, according to police, a verbal disagreement between Brown and the woman escalated into a physical confrontation. Police told ESPN that Brown allegedly “threw a shoe” at the woman and locked her out of his home.

In addition, ESPN reported that on Nov. 29, a judge denied a temporary protective order to prevent Brown from having access to firearms or ammunition. The charges were dropped a month later, CNN reported.

Brown’s NFL career came to an abrupt end after an acrimonious split with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in January 2022. His contract with the Buccaneers was terminated after he made a scene in the middle of the franchise’s Week 17 win over the New York Jets.

Antonio Brown. Mike Ehrmann/Getty Antonio Brown says he always did what was best for me while addressing the Buccaneers Split

Brown was seen removing the top half of his uniform before running onto the field midway through the game and flashing a “peace out” sign to the crowd as he exited the tunnel.

The wide receiver addressed the situation surrounding his departure from the Buccaneers, and other controversies during his career shortly after.

“I feel like, man, everything I’ve done, I’ve done it because my heart believed it was what I should do. And in life, sometimes you have to listen to your heart because it’s the only way I can sleep at night,” Brown said. Nate Burleson CBS This Morning in January 2022.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education