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UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones is once again in the legal spotlight, this time facing two misdemeanor charges stemming from a tense encounter with a drug-testing agent at his home on March 30.
Jones is charged with assault, a petty misdemeanor, and interference with communications, a misdemeanor. His virtual bond hearing is set for July 17 at 9:15 a.m. MT in New Mexico. This information was confirmed by Bernalillo County Court representatives in an email to MMA Fighting on Monday.
If found guilty on both counts, Jones could face less than a year in jail, along with fines totaling $1,500.
The charges arise from an incident involving drug-testing agents from Drug-Free Sport, UFC’s anti-doping partner. The agents visited Jones' home for a random sample collection. Crystal Martinez, one of the agents, reported that Jones became "agitated" when he couldn’t provide a urine sample and was instead offered a blood test.
Martinez alleged that Jones began questioning the agents, asking if they had money because he planned to sue them. She also claimed that Jones grabbed her phone and started recording. According to Martinez, Jones stood less than a foot away from her, leaving her "terrified" and worried he might strike her.
Jones has strongly denied these allegations. In a statement issued in April, he explained his side of the story:
"I was recently visited by testers while I was celebrating a birthday and taking a nap. Upon waking up, I was caught off guard by the unprofessionalism and protocol by one of the testers, which caused frustration leading me to use some profanity I regret. However, I want to emphasize that at no point did I threaten, get in anyone’s face, raise my voice to anyone, or engage in any form of assault."
He added, "It’s unfortunate that false news has been spread without proper fact-checking. I want to assure you that I will vigorously defend myself against these baseless accusations. The truth is, the incident simply did not occur."
During his upcoming hearing on July 17, Jones will be informed of the charges against him and required to enter a plea. Following this, the judge will set the conditions for his release while the case is pending. A bench trial is expected to be scheduled within 30 to 45 days.
Meanwhile, Jones is gearing up for a return to the octagon. He is preparing to defend his heavyweight title against former champion Stipe Miocic, with the fight anticipated to take place in November at Madison Square Garden in New York. This legal matter adds another layer of complexity to Jones' already eventful career.
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