UFC defending light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is facing a battery charge stemming from an incident in Albuquerque, New Mexico in April, sources have told ESPN.
According to the KRQE Television news station in Albuquerque, Jones, slapped a cocktail waitress around her genitalia area at a strip club. Jones then proceeded to pull the waitress down onto his lap and kiss her neck, according to the criminal summons that ESPN obtained. The charge, while being listed as a misdemeanor, can still carry jail time with it if Jones is convicted.
The waitress told police that Jones put her into a chokehold and picked her up off of the ground. After asking Jones to stop, he continued to touch her until he decided to leave later in the evening.
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Per the criminal summons, the alleged victim told police of Jones: “I just don’t want to deal with this person. I think he is a f—ing piece of s—. The whole situation is so complicated and I’m not really sure what to say and this person gets away with f—ing everything.”
James Hallinan, a spokesperson for Jones, said that the fighter was unaware of the charge until KRQE approached them. Despite the comment from Hallinan, the Albuquerque Police Department mailed a letter to Jones’ house that Jones returned in June. A bench warrant became issued onto Jones after he missed a hearing for a bond arrangement on June 12. Jones paid a $300 bond this past Sunday.
“Today, the media told Mr. Jones about a false accusation launched against him and that paperwork had been sent to an incorrect address,” Hallinan said in a statement to KRQE. “However, after receiving the documents from the press, Mr. Jones immediately went to pay the small fee, and he and multiple witnesses stand ready to factually refute the malicious lies being told about him to the public.”
