ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Denver Broncos pass rusher Jonathon Cooper is in more legal trouble following his second arrest in a week.
Cooper was arrested Thursday night on multiple charges that he violated a protection order filed against him after his initial arrest stemming from a domestic dispute with his girlfriend last week.
Cooper is now facing new charges of harassment from repeated phone calls and violation of a protection order, according to court
records.
The protection order was put in place for Cooper's girlfriend after two additional charges, including a felony charge of second-degree assault by strangulation, were added Wednesday from his June 4 arrest in Parker.
Aside from his legal troubles, Cooper could face a lengthy suspension from the league.
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told The Associated Press on Friday, “We continue to monitor all developments in the matter which remains under review of the personal conduct policy.”
The Broncos also issued a statement to AP, saying, “We are disappointed to learn of Jonathon Cooper's arrest on Thursday and continue to review this matter.”
Cooper is accused of sending 20 messages and making two unanswered phone calls to his girlfriend Thursday before going to her apartment and knocking on her door, according to the arrest affidavit. He left when she called 911. Cooper told officers who went to his residence later Thursday that he had not been served with a protection order.
Cooper was ordered during an appearance in the 23rd Judicial District Court in Douglas County on Friday to abide by a stricter protection order that prohibits any contact with his girlfriend. Also, he must have court approval to travel out of state. He was released on a personal recognizance bond.
Cooper originally faced misdemeanor domestic violence charges and pleaded not guilty Monday in a Douglas County courtroom. Additional charges were announced in court Wednesday, including felony assault by strangulation and third-degree assault of knowingly or recklessly causing bodily injury.
The new charges stemmed from a forensic nurse's examination of Cooper's girlfriend at a hospital during which the nurse wrote that the woman experienced an injury from being choked that led to a “substantial risk of death” or substantial risk of injury, including the possibility of a traumatic brain injury, according to court records.
Cooper, 28, was originally arrested June 4 by Parker police along with his girlfriend, and both were booked into jail early that next morning. Cooper was held on suspicion of criminal mischief with a domestic violence enhancer. His girlfriend was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic violence and petty criminal mischief.
The arrests followed an argument and physical confrontation between Cooper and his girlfriend over cell phones that were damaged in the scuffle after she accused him of infidelity, according to a police affidavit.
Last weekend, Cooper posted a Bible verse about anger on his Instagram account and wrote, “I apologize to my family and my friends and my community. ... And so many others.” He added, “I realize positing a bible (verse) after something very serious happens does not just mean everything is okay.” In another post, Cooper wrote, “I apologize. This situation is not who I am.”
A seventh-round draft pick out of Ohio State in 2021, Cooper is entering his sixth season with the Broncos. He’s had at least eight sacks in each of the last three seasons, including a career-best 10 1/2 sacks in 2024 when he signed a four-year contract extension worth up to $60 million.
Cooper has a motions hearings set for July 6 on his original arrest and July 14 on his latest arrest, in addition to a trial set to begin July 22, just before the Broncos report to training camp.
Cooper has been participating in the Broncos' offseason training program and on Thursday coach Sean Payton said he had a talk with Cooper about his arrest. "We’ll follow the league’s guidelines, and I’m sure a lot of that will be led by the local authorities’ guidelines. We’ll pay attention to all of it,” Payton said.
The Broncos hold their mandatory minicamp next week before their summer break.
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