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Justin Hodges, a defensive back with the University of Central Florida, was one of several men who barged into a 28th-floor apartment with guns on Jan. 9, severely beat an occupant and robbed the residence before fleeing, officials said.
The Fort Lauderdale native has since been dismissed from the football team, according to Fox 35.
Orlando cops said Hodges is a friend of a female suspect in the case, Nevaeh Mosher, who once dated the victim.
Mosher, who was also arrested, allegedly gave Hodges instructions on entering the building before he and two other suspects carried out the home invasion robbery.
Those other two assailants remain on the lam.
The group — which was captured on surveillance video in the building — discarded some of their clothing on a lower floor in an attempt to evade detection, cops said.
One of the items, according to police, was a piece of clothing belonging to Hodges with the UCF insignia on it.
Hodges and Mosher were arrested Thursday morning and remain behind bars.
The gridiron star admitted being involved in the crime but minimized his role, telling detectives that he was hoping to retrieve some of Mosher’s belongings from inside the apartment.
The junior said a gun used in the assault belonged to his girlfriend, and that he gave the firearm to an accomplice to use during the heist.