Former Pittsburgh Steelers and Detroit Lions cornerback Cam Sutton has turned himself in to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office in Florida to face felony charges.
The sheriff’s office announced on March 20 that Sutton had been wanted for nearly two weeks after an alleged domestic dispute led to violence.
The sheriff’s office said late Sunday night that Sutton arrived at the Orient Road Jail shortly before 8:30 p.m. — six days after his attorney had contacted them to say Sutton planned to turn himself in.
Sutton will face a felony charge of domestic battery by strangulation, stemming from an incident on March 7.
"After weeks of evading law enforcement, this man has finally made the right choice to turn himself in," Sheriff Chad Chronister said, per a press release. "Domestic violence has no place in our community, and no one is above the law here in Hillsborough County. My thoughts are with this woman as she continues to heal from this man’s gruesome actions.”
Authorities have said Sutton fled the scene of a domestic violence incident in the Tampa suburb of Lutz after officers were called. Officials said the victim had wounds that indicated some type of altercation had occurred. The Detroit Free Press reported the alleged incident took place “one day after court records show Sutton took part in a Zoom hearing in a paternity case. Another hearing in the case scheduled for March 7 was canceled.”
The sheriff’s department announced via X, formerly Twitter, nearly two weeks later that they were searching for Sutton.
Lions President Rod Wood said on Monday, March 25, that the organization learned that Sutton was wanted by authorities via social media at the same time others found out. Wood said Sutton had “unexpectedly” showed up to work out at the team’s facility in Allen Park when the news became public.
Officials with the team encouraged Sutton to get legal counsel and turn himself in. He was released the following day with a June 1 designation, which allows the team to spread his dead cap hit — an estimated $8.7 million, once his guarantees void — over two years, according to the Freep.
Sutton, who signed with Detroit last offseason, had one interception and 65 tackles across 17 starts last season and struggled down the stretch and into the playoffs.
This offseason the Lions have bolstered their secondary by signing free agent Amik Robertson, trading for Carlton Davis III and re-signing Emmanuel Moseley.