Atlanta Falcons terminate LB Barkevious Mingo's contract after indecency with child charge

The Atlanta Falcons released linebacker Barkevious Mingo on Saturday after he was arrested in Texas on a charge of indecency with a child-sexual contact.

Arlington police said that Mingo was arrested Thursday on the second-degree felony charge, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison under Texas state law. According to the state penal code, the charge relates to engaging in sexual contact with someone younger than 17 years of age or causing the child to engage in sexual contact.

Arlington Police said in a statement that the agency could provide no further information about the investigation, citing "the nature of the charges and age of the victim.'' Police said Mingo turned himself in.

"After being made aware today of allegations involving Barkevious Mingo and gathering information on the matter, the Atlanta Falcons have terminated his contract," the team said in a statement late Saturday night.

Mingo's attorney, Lukas Garcia, called the allegations "completely baseless" in a statement given to multiple outlets.

"At this stage, our side has very limited information," Garcia said. "What we do know is these allegations are from over two years ago and are completely untrue. Mr. Mingo is the victim of a false claim, and we believe this is motivated by money or some other ulterior motive."

According to Tarrant County records, Mingo was released on $25,000 bond Friday.

Mingo signed a one-year contract with the Falcons in March. The 2013 first-round pick by the Cleveland Browns has bounced around the NFL since being traded to the New England Patriots in 2016, playing for five different teams over the past five seasons, including the Chicago Bears in 2020.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.