Wednesday July 16th, 2025 7:52AM

Judge orders arrest of Andre Rison

By The Associated Press
<p>A DeKalb County judge has issued her fourth arrest warrant in three years for former NFL wide receiver Andre Rison, who owes $184,787 in two states for overdue child support payments, attorney's fees and interest.</p><p>The payments are collectively owed to his ex-wife in Southfield, Mich., and an ex-girlfriend in Atlanta. The Michigan case involves Rison's 16-year-old son, and the Atlanta case involves two sons, 16 and 19 years old.</p><p>According to court documents, Rison, 37, owes Raycoa Handley of Atlanta $85,085 in child support and interest. He also owes her attorney $7,590 in fees and interest, according to Superior Court Judge Cynthia Becker's order last month.</p><p>"The defendant shall be immediately incarcerated and held until he purges his contempt by paying all amounts due," Becker's order states.</p><p>Becker has dealt with Rison before regarding his $3,500-a.m.onth payments to Handley, jailing him for six days in August 2001 and issuing warrants for his arrest in December 2001 and January 2002.</p><p>Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox also issued an arrest warrant for Rison last month, saying he failed to pay $94,891 in child-support payments to ex-wife Tonja Rison and was a habitual offender, Michigan Assistant Attorney General Mark Matus said.</p><p>Flint, Mich., District Judge Ramona Roberts canceled the warrant June 18 when she sentenced Rison to 24 months of probation for failing to pay child support, Matus said.</p><p>As of June 10, Rison still owed his ex-wife $92,112, Matus said.</p><p>Matus said he didn't know why Roberts canceled the warrant, but she arraigned the former football player after the sentencing. He was released on a signature bond.</p><p>Matus said he expects Rison's Michigan attorney, David Kallman, to request a July 7 hearing to have the charge dismissed. Kallman did not immediately return telephone calls.</p><p>Rison's Atlanta attorney, Max Richardson, said his client is aware of his obligations in Atlanta, but he may dispute the amount. Rison is trying to become a businessman, Richardson said.</p><p>Rison probably won't be able to make the payments until he establishes his business venture, the attorney said. Richardson did not say what Rison is considering, but said he hasn't ruled out playing football and has been talking with a couple of teams.</p><p>"It's one thing to play NFL football, then be thrown into the business world," Richardson said. "It's a new challenge for him. It's not as easy as running down a field and catching a pass."</p><p>Handley's attorney, Randall Kessler, contends that Rison is hiding his money, making it difficult to inventory his assets.</p><p>"We think he's moved the money out of his name, and we think he'll pay us if he's put in jail," said Kessler, who has requested an Aug. 9 hearing to make Becker's arrest warrant a criminal matter.</p><p>Handley and Rison dated in college, Kessler said, and Handley is "the nicest, sweetest lady who's been struggling and hasn't been able to rely on regular support from him."</p><p>Richardson insists that Rison's financial problems prevent him from paying child support.</p><p>"Money doesn't last forever, I don't care what you're doing," he said.</p><p>Rison, who played five seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, ranks 14th on the NFL's all-time receptions list and is 17th in receiving yards. He tallied 743 receptions for 10,205 yards in his career. He spent his 13 years in the NFL among Indianapolis, Atlanta, Cleveland, Jacksonville, Green Bay, Kansas City and Oakland.</p><p>There was talk that Rison, three years removed from the game, would play for Tampa Bay last year, but it never panned out. Rison last played in 2000 with the Oakland Raiders, where he caught 41 balls for 606 yards and six touchdowns.</p>
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