Three Missouri Tigers freshmen football players were arrested in Columbia on suspicion of first-degree harassment, a felony, and each posted $1,500 bond before being released. Defensive backs Ahmod Billins and Trashundon Neal and wide receiver Karsten Fiene were taken into custody by Columbia police Monday around 1 p.m., just days before No. 14 Missouri hosts Texas A&M.
The arrests were first reported by PowerMizzou; the Kansas City Star detailed that all three players were released after posting bond. First-degree harassment is described in the displayed version of Missouri Revised Statutes § 565.090, effective July 1, 2027, as involving intentionally engaging in acts without good cause to cause emotional distress to another person. Under that version, it is a Class E felony, the lowest tier in Missouri's five-level felony system, carrying a maximum sentence of up to four years in state prison and fines as high as $10,000 under the state's sentencing statute.
Drinkwitz Addresses Arrests, Says Due Process Will Play Out
Head coach Eli Drinkwitz confirmed the football program is aware of the arrests and said it is following school protocol while the legal process unfolds. He spoke about the situation Wednesday on an SEC coaches conference call, per the same account from the Star, saying he expects more facts to emerge that will help resolve the matter and that he won't rush to judgment before legal resolution.
During an October 6 press conference, Drinkwitz said Billins, Neal and Fiene are away from the team per program protocol while fact-finding continues, according to Essentially Sports. Under University of Missouri athletic department guidelines, student-athletes charged with a felony face immediate suspension, and a staff member along with the athletic director must review the suspension within two days to determine the players' temporary or permanent standing with the team.
Limited Roles for Three First-Year Tigers
All three players remain listed on Missouri's roster but have not played since the season opener against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Billins, a three-star recruit out of Abbeville Christian Academy in Abbeville, Alabama, according to 247Sports, had played three snaps at corner and one on the punt-return team before the arrest.
Neal, a cornerback who starred at Liberty North High School and helped the team win the 2023 Class 6 state championship, had logged three snaps in kick coverage this season. Fiene, a wide receiver who helped Lee's Summit win the previous season's Class 6 state title, had played just one snap. Both Kansas City-area products joined Missouri's 2026 recruiting class in February as standout prospects, per Chiefs Blitz.
Second Freshman Felony Case This Year
This marks the second major felony arrest involving a Mizzou freshman football player in Columbia this year. Five months earlier, in May, linebacker JJ Bush was arrested on a Class D felony charge of aggravated fleeing and a misdemeanor careless driving charge after officers recorded him driving 80 mph in a 40 mph zone, according to a report from Sports Illustrated, which led to his indefinite suspension from the team. In December 2025, defensive end Zion Young was also arrested in Boone County on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, per 93.9 The Eagle.
Heavy Week for Tigers Program Amid Season's Stretch Run
The arrests landed during an otherwise triumphant stretch for Missouri, which climbed 11 spots in the AP Top 25 to No. 14 after a 45-17 victory over then-No. 8 Florida and now prepares for a home matchup against SEC rival Texas A&M. The same October 6 press conference that addressed the arrests also carried heavier news for the program: Drinkwitz revealed that 18-year-old freshman offensive lineman Johnnie “DJ” Jones is hospitalized in Jacksonville, Florida, awaiting an urgent heart transplant after summer intake screenings flagged a cardiac issue, according to the Associated Press.
For now, Billins, Fiene and Neal remain on Missouri's roster but barred from team activities as the Boone County legal process and the athletic department's internal review both continue. Drinkwitz has indicated he intends to let both processes play out before determining the players' long-term standing with the program.
