Atlanta Falcons defensive end James Pearce Jr. will have all criminal charges stemming from his February arrest in a domestic dispute dismissed if he successfully completes a six-month pretrial intervention program offered by the state of Florida, his attorney said Thursday.
Pearce Jr., 22, was arrested Feb. 7 in Doral, Florida, following an alleged incident involving his ex-girlfriend, Los Angeles Sparks forward Rickea Jackson. He initially faced five felony charges, including two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated stalking, fleeing or eluding police and aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer. One felony count — aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer — was dropped in March due to insufficient evidence. The remaining charges included three felonies and a misdemeanor count of stalking, along with multiple traffic violations.
Under the agreement reached with the Miami-Dade County state attorney’s office, Pearce Jr. must attend therapy sessions and remain out of legal trouble for six months, according to Atlanta sports radio host Andy Slater, who first reported the development. His attorney, Yale Sanford, confirmed that Jackson and the involved police officers consented to the resolution. No admission of guilt is required, and the case will be dismissed upon successful completion of the program.
The program is a standard pretrial diversion option in Florida designed to resolve cases without a trial when victims and law enforcement agree and the defendant meets specified conditions. A docket sounding was scheduled for Thursday, the final opportunity for a plea deal before a planned May trial.
Pearce Jr. has maintained his innocence in the matter. The Falcons have not commented publicly on the latest development. Pearce, a first-round draft pick in 2025 out of Tennessee, appeared in 15 games as a rookie last season.
The resolution avoids a potential trial and any admission of wrongdoing, though it requires Pearce Jr. to comply fully with the program’s terms or risk reinstatement of the charges.
Flip the pages for photos of Rickea Jackson.
