Bowling Green State University linebacker Jonathan Goins, 20, is facing felony charges after police say they found him inside an apartment with a handgun following a report of a break-in. Goins appeared in court Monday and was released after posting a $50,000 bond on charges of aggravated burglary and carrying a concealed weapon.
According to Cleveland.com, police found Goins inside the Bowling Green, Ohio, apartment on Sept. 19. The two women who live there told police they heard someone inside and locked themselves in a bathroom, according to details attributed to BG Independent News. Officers said they found a handgun in Goins' sweatshirt pocket, a detail attributed to WTOL Channel 11.
Goins Says He Believed He Had Permission
Goins told police he believed he had permission to enter the apartment and said one of the women had given him a key, according to accounts attributed to WTOL Channel 11 and the Independent. He also told police he routinely carried the gun and did not intend harm, those accounts said.
The two women denied giving Goins a key, according to police, who reportedly found a key to the apartment on his keychain. The competing accounts about whether Goins believed he had access remain allegations in the case and will be addressed as the charges proceed.
A Transfer With Limited Field Time
Goins is a sophomore from Pine Bluff, Arkansas, who transferred to Bowling Green State University in January after playing for Alabama A&M's football team. Per his bio, he did not appear in a 2025 football game.
BGSU head football coach Eddie George addressed the arrest, telling WTOL that Goins' situation is being handled in house. George did not elaborate further on what that process might involve, and no additional details on team discipline have been made public.
What the Aggravated Burglary Charge Involves
Under Ohio Revised Code Section 2911.11, aggravated burglary is a charge that can involve circumstances where physical harm is threatened or a deadly weapon is present, according to the statute's official text. Goins is also charged with carrying a concealed weapon, according to court records cited by Cleveland.com.
What the charges mean under Ohio law
Ohio Revised Code Section 2923.12 generally prohibits knowingly carrying or having a handgun concealed on one's person or concealed ready at hand, subject to statutory exceptions, according to the Ohio Revised Code. The records described here report charges and a bond, not a conviction or sentence; the allegations will have to be resolved through the court process.
