Ex-Lions CB Cameron Sutton, still wanted by police, was at team facility when arrest warrant went public
Detroit Lions cornerback Cameron Sutton went to work last Wednesday, the same day he became publicly known as a wanted fugitive.
Lions president Rod Wood told Fox 2 Detroit on Monday that Sutton was working out in the team's facilities when it was announced that there was a warrant out for his arrest on a charge of domestic battery by strangulation.
Wood said team officials quickly found Sutton and spoke with him before he left the building. He was released the next day, with no team contact since:
"We learned about the warrant the same time everybody else did on social media. We were able to speak to Cam because he was actually in our building. We found him, he was down with our strength staff. He kinda showed up unexpectedly to work out. We were able to talk to him in person — not me, but other members of the staff — and he left the building. We released him the next day, and no one has spoken to him since."
Wood added that team officials advised Sutton to turn himself in and "what he's done is kind of up to him at this point."
There have been no public updates on Sutton since, indicating he's still at large. The charge he faces is a third-degree felony in Florida, punishable by up to five years in prison.
The allegations against Sutton stem from an alleged incident on March 7. An arrest warrant was reportedly issued the same day, but police couldn't find him, via the Detroit Free Press:
"We served his warrant on the seventh because of all the evidence that we found there," said Phil Martello, a spokesperson for the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. "Couldn’t find him here in Tampa, pretty sure he fled. We got a couple hits on his license plate (on) license plate readers, but haven’t been able to track him down here, so that’s where we’re at right now.
"They’ve attempted to make contact with him, can’t get him on the phone, so they’ve released — our detectives have exhausted everything to try and get ahold of him and that’s why we end up putting the stuff on social media."
Sutton is coming off his first season with the Lions after signing a three-year, $33 million contract with the team last offseason. Before that, the former third-round pick played six seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Sutton played all 17 games for the Lions last season, posting 65 total tackles, six passes defended, four tackles for loss, a forced fumble and an interception. Pro Football Focus ranked him 104th out of 127 NFL cornerbacks.
