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Former Bucs Player Charged With Stalking

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By JOSH POLTILOVE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 20, 2007

Updated: 09/20/2007 03:56 pm

TAMPA - Former Bucs defensive end Chidi Ahanotu was arrested this afternoon on a charge of aggravated stalking.

Tania Danielle Hoffman claims in a report that Ahanotu, who played for the Bucs from 1993 to 2000 and briefly returned in 2004, stalked her.

His arrest comes the same month Ahanotu sued Hoffman, demanding his "on-again, off-again girlfriend" return $18,000 he claims she took from him. That lawsuit also demands she return a diamond ring he gave her and other items he says she took from him.

Ahanotu, 36, sent text messages to Hoffman "in which he indicated that he suffered from 'Post NFL aggression' and that he knew that he took his aggression out on the victim," a Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office release states.

He was arrested about 12:30 p.m. in the Boston area.

An arrest warrant against him claims that between August 2006 and this September, Ahanotu "did willfully, maliciously and repeatedly send electronic text messages to the victim's cell phone in which he threatened to harm the victim, placing her in fear for her life," according to the release.

Ahanotu, who was detained for mental examination by Tampa police under the Baker Act in July, weighs 320 pounds. Hoffman weighs 115 pounds.

His lawsuit against Hoffman claims they lived together from July 2005 to June 2006 and that he loaned her $11,000 to help pay rent. She didn't pay him, nor did she return $7,000 he later loaned her, the lawsuit states.

Ahanotu also gave her an $8,000 ring to hold on to while she considered what type of center diamond she would like in the event they got engaged, the lawsuit states. They didn't become engaged, but she didn't return the ring.

Robert A. Samartin, an attorney for Ahanotu, wrote in an e-mail to the Tribune that his client had been out of town on business for the past few weeks.

A Hillsborough County deputy called Ahanotu's cell number "and made contact with a man who identified himself as 'Chidi,' " Samartin wrote. "Mr. Ahanotu told the Deputy he would answer his questions. The Deputy refused to conduct the interview over the phone. When Mr. Ahanotu advised that he was out of town, the Deputy indicated he was filing an arrest warrant; and he did so promptly."

Samartin said he and another attorney have been in touch with the sheriff's office since then.

"Following our contacts with the HCSO, we contacted the Hillsborough County State Attorney's Office immediately and asked them to review the facts of the case," Samartin wrote. "This is something the HCSO has not done. While this case was being reviewed by the State Attorney, unfortunately, the situation was leaked."

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