New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs is facing criminal charges after he was allegedly involved in an incident in Massachusetts earlier this month.
Dedham District Court on Tuesday released documents related to the case that showed the star football player was charged with strangulation or suffocation along with misdemeanor assault and battery.
The charges were announced Tuesday morning in Dedham (Mass.) District Court, with Diggs’ attorney, Michael DiStefano, available by phone, according to a Boston 25 News report.
A judge is expected to rule on whether or not the details will be seized before Diggs’ scheduled arraignment on Jan. 23.
The alleged incident occurred on Dec. 2, the day after New England’s 33-15 win over the New York Giants on “Monday Night Football.”
DiStefano reportedly sought to have the police report sealed to prevent the details from being made public. He also shared that Diggs made a financial offer to the alleged victim in an attempt to end the dispute.
WBZ-TV obtained a statement from the Patriots, who told the news outlet they are “aware of the allegations” against their WR.
“Stefon has informed the organization that he categorically denies the allegations. We stand by Stefon. We will continue to gather information and cooperate fully with the appropriate authorities and the NFL as necessary. Out of respect for all parties involved and due to the fact that this is an ongoing legal matter, we will have no further comment at this time,” the statement read.
The Patriots will have a lot at stake as Diggs is scheduled to be arraigned in court on Friday, Jan. 23, while the team, if they make the NFL playoffs, will have the AFC Championship Game on Sunday, Jan. 25.
The Patriots are currently in contention to finish the regular season as the No. 1 seed in the AFC and will host the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.
Diggs, an NFL veteran, has appeared in every Patriots game this season and has 82 catches for 970 yards so far.
He was previously traded to the Minnesota Vikings and Buffalo Bills. For the Bills, Diggs made a name for himself after being a 1,000-yard receiver for six consecutive seasons.
Diggs, 32, signed a three-year, $69 million contract that includes $26 million guaranteed with New England in March. In his first season with the Patriots, he leads the team in catches (82) and receiving yards (970) with four touchdowns in 16 games (all starts).
