MORGANTOWN, West Virginia — Former West Virginia wide receiver Stedman Bailey has found himself back in the headlines, but unfortunately, it has nothing to do with football.
According to the Pembroke Pines Police Department, Bailey was arrested Thursday following an incident that allegedly occurred just before 12:30 a.m. on July 27 at the Round1 arcade and entertainment center inside Pembroke Lakes Mall in South Florida. Police say officers responded after receiving reports that two people were engaged in a sexual act in a public area near the establishment’s bar. Surveillance footage and witness statements reportedly led investigators to identify Bailey, 35, and Karina Manderson, 35, as the individuals involved.
PUBLIC SEX ARREST – Police arrested former NFL player Stedman Bailey and a woman after they said they had public sex in an arcade within the Pembroke Lakes Mall. https://t.co/VdXm404iIA
— WPLG Local 10 News (@WPLGLocal10) August 6, 2026
According to the arrest report, witnesses told police they observed the two having intercourse before confronting them. Investigators said Bailey pulled up his pants before the pair slowly left the bar area. When questioned by officers, police say Bailey admitted that both had their pants down and that he had exposed himself but denied that any sexual penetration occurred. Authorities also stated there was no evidence that either suspect’s drinks had been tampered with. Both Bailey and Manderson were later arrested and charged with indecent exposure.
The arrest marks another difficult chapter in the life of the former Mountaineer star, whose football career was filled with both incredible success and heartbreaking adversity.
Bailey remains one of the most accomplished wide receivers in West Virginia football history. During his career in Morgantown from 2010-2012, he caught 210 passes for 3,218 yards and 41 touchdowns, finishing among the program’s all-time leaders in every major receiving category. His 25 touchdown receptions over his final two seasons remain one of the most dominant stretches by any receiver in school history. Alongside quarterback Geno Smith and fellow receiver Tavon Austin, Bailey helped lead one of the most explosive offenses college football has ever seen, highlighted by WVU’s memorable 70-33 victory over Clemson in the 2012 Orange Bowl.
His standout college career led the St. Louis Rams to select him in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Bailey spent three seasons in the NFL, appearing in 39 games while recording 59 receptions for 843 yards and two touchdowns. He also contributed as a punt returner before his professional career came to an abrupt end.
In November 2015, Bailey was shot multiple times while sitting in a parked vehicle in Miami Gardens. He survived the shooting after a lengthy recovery, but the injuries ultimately forced him to retire from professional football at just 25 years old. Prior to starring at West Virginia, Bailey attended both Miami Carol City Senior High School and Miramar High School in South Florida.
Now, more than a decade after becoming one of the most beloved receivers in Mountaineer history, Bailey is once again making headlines for reasons no one associated with the program wants to see. His arrest on an indecent exposure charge is a disappointing development for a player whose name has long been remembered for his accomplishments on the football field.
