Le'Veon Bell jailed in Stark County over child support
Former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell was jailed July 20 in Stark County Jail over child support tied to a Michigan warrant, according to local reports. His attorney says support guidelines still reflect his NFL salary, not his current income, after Jackson Township police arrested him July 19.
Key Takeaways
- Bell is held in Stark County Jail on a courtesy hold for another agency.
- Jackson Township police arrested him July 19 on a Michigan warrant.
- Attorney Thomas Shaffer says assessments still track his old NFL pay and boxing career.
- Shaffer says Bell cashed an NFL pension six months ago to pay $50,000 in support.
- He appeared at a Belden Village Mall meet-and-greet earlier on July 19.
Why was Le'Veon Bell arrested in Ohio?
According to the Canton Repository, Bell was arrested July 19 by Jackson Township police on a warrant out of Michigan. Stark County documents and the sheriff's inmate listing describe the detention as a "courtesy hold for another agency."
Earlier that day, Bell appeared at Belden Village Mall in Jackson Township for a meet-and-greet event before the arrest.
Readers following celebrity breaking news will note the case centers on child support enforcement, not a new Ohio criminal charge.
What does Bell's attorney say about the case?
Thomas Shaffer of Uniontown, Pennsylvania, told the Canton Repository that Bell is "inaccurately" being charged based on the salary he received in his playing days. Bell has a child in Michigan, and Shaffer said the assessment still reflects pay from Bell's 2020 season with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Bell has not played in the NFL since 2021, when he suited up for the Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"Six months ago he cashed in an NFL pension to pay $50,000 in child support for that child. His guidelines are still inaccurately being deemed based on his NFL salary and his professional boxing career," Shaffer said. "This is a revolving door because he pays a number that doesn't reflect his true income. The issue will never end. The court needs to reflect his true income."
Shaffer added that the Michigan Attorney General's Office is involved because of the financial threshold.
How does this fit Bell's NFL career?
NBC Sports, citing the Canton Repository, noted Bell's hold in Canton comes long after a career that once pointed toward Canton for very different reasons. A second-round pick from Michigan State in 2013, he spent five seasons with the Steelers, sat out 2018 in a franchise-tag dispute, then signed with the New York Jets in 2019.
Released during the 2020 season, he joined the Chiefs, then closed his NFL career in 2021 with the Ravens and Buccaneers.
What happens next in Stark County?
As of the July 20 reports, Bell remained listed among Stark County Jail inmates on the courtesy hold. Neither the Canton Repository nor NBC Sports detailed a transfer timeline to Michigan or an Ohio court date.
Any update on release, extradition, or revised support calculations would come from court filings or further statements from Shaffer and Michigan authorities.