UCF dismisses DB Justin Hodges from football program after home invasion robbery arrest

UCF dismissed defensive back Justin Hodges from its football program Friday morning following his arrest on charges of home invasion robbery with a firearm and a mask.

Hodges, who was arrested Thursday according to the Orange County Corrections Department's inmate database, was still incarcerated as of 8:30 a.m. Friday. Brandon Helwig of UCFSports.com and Rivals first reported the arrest.

"Justin Hodges has been dismissed from the football program," a spokesman for UCF Athletics said in a statement provided to The News-Journal. "Per university policy, the UCF student conduct process will be initiated."

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Where did the home invasion robbery happen?

According to a press release from the Orlando Police Department, at approximately 1:20 p.m. on Jan. 9, police responded to an apartment on the 28th floor of 55 W. Church St. for an armed home invasion robbery. The unnamed victim told officers several unknown Black males with masks and firearms barged into the apartment, battered him, threatened him with guns, stole his phone and recording equipment, then left the building.

The victim and his ex-girlfriend, 21-year-old Naveah Mosher, had a disagreement regarding a new male friend after she returned to the apartment wearing his clothing, police said. The victim discarded the clothing, causing Mosher to tell the owner of the clothes, later identified as Hodges', per the release.

Hodges was given instructions on how to enter the secured apartment building, police said, and met Mosher with two additional male suspects. They proceeded to the apartment, pushed in and struck the victim in the face upon answering the door, police said.

Was anyone armed during the robbery?

Firearms were present and used in the commission of taking the victim's property, per the release.

Using surveillance video, police were able to capture all the subjects entering and exiting the property, police said. Detectives also located the discarded clothing on a lower floor breezeway.

Police believed Mosher was involved an obtained a warrant for her arrest, per the release. Once detained on Jan. 7, officers obtained a complete confession to her involvement in the home invasion robbery.

Hodges was interviewed by police and arrested Thursday, per the release. He corroborated the story provided by Mosher but minimalized his involvement, claiming he was trying to assist in getting her belongings from inside the apartment, per the release.

Hodges admitted that one of the firearms used in the crime belonged to his girlfriend, which he gave to one of the other suspects to use, police said.

As of Thursday night, the search for the other two suspects was ongoing, per the release.

Hodges, a 6-foot-2, 175-pound junior from Fort Lauderdale, played 30 career games for the Knights — including all 14 this past season. He recorded 40 tackles (23 solo), three tackles for loss, one sack, one interception, five pass breakups and two fumble recoveries.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: UCF football player Justin Hodges dismissed after robbery arrest