Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor reportedly arrested again for violating sex offender registration

According to The Athletic, Pro Football Hall of Fame member Lawrence Taylor was arrested Wednesday on a felony charge of failing to report his change of residence as a registered sex offender.

Taylor, 65, turned himself in to the Broward Sheriff’s Office in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Wednesday and was released on bail on Thursday, according to the report.

The incident is nearly identical to a situation in 2021 when Taylor was arrested for the same matter in South Florida. Taylor avoided prison time that time after pleading guilty to a lesser charge.

Taylor’s lawyer called his arrest a “misunderstanding” on Thursday and said he would plead not guilty.

Taylor pleaded guilty in New York in 2011 to one count of sexual abuse and one count of third-degree solicitation of prostitution, which forced him to register as a sex offender in the first place. A 16-year-old girl said she was beaten and forced to go to Taylor’s hotel room to have sex with him. Taylor said he did not know the girl was underage at the time and thought she was 19.

Taylor was classified as a Level 1 sex offender at sentencing, which is the lowest level possible. Because he was considered low-risk, his photo did not appear on an online sex offender database. Taylor was also sentenced to six years’ probation in Florida. As a registered sex offender, Taylor is required to notify local authorities of any change of address.

Taylor played 13 seasons in the league with the New York Giants before retiring after the 1993 season. He won two Super Bowls with the organization, was a ten-time Pro Bowler and eight-time All-Pro linebacker, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999.