UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones is potentially in trouble with the law again after being reported to the police for allegedly assaulting and threatening to kill an anti-doping officer.
Crystal Martinez and her colleague Jerome Romero from Drug Free Sport International, the UFC’s official drug-testing agency, reportedly showed up at the Albuquerque home of the UFC star early in the morning on 30th March for a surprise drug test.
Jones, who had been celebrating a friend’s birthday, was reported to be drunk but initially co-operative. However, after he was unable to supply a urine sample and Martinez suggested he take a blood sample instead he “appeared agitated”, and as the situation escalated he took her phone and put in his pocket, got up close to her and said, “why you f****** people come so early, do you know what happens to people who come to my house … they end up dead.”
Martinez said she feared for her safety, but Jones did eventually go off with her colleague Romero and return with a urine sample. After leaving Jones premises Martinez wanted to press charges, but was initially discouraged from doing so by her supervisor, but then did contact the police on April 5th.
Jones has since responded to the claims, claiming that the anti-doping officers were unprofessional, while also sharing CCTV footage after the alleged incident, which shows him saying goodbye to the two officers outside of his home in what appears to be a friendly manner.
“I want to address reports about me allegedly threatening a drug tester’s life and taking a phone,” Jones wrote on Instagram after the story broke. “I want to clarify that there is a video showing both drug testers leaving my home after the testing session, where we exchanged a high five and a hug. Although I was frustrated with the unprofessionalism and used profanity out of frustration it ended friendly and amicably, nothing threatening at all. I was actually celebrating a friend’s birthday party at my home, and I believe it’s perfectly normal to celebrate in the comfort of my own home.
“I must say, this particular tester behaved quite unprofessionally and even breached standard protocol along with HIPAA laws. Throughout my 20 years of being subjected to drug tests, I have never encountered such an incident with a DCO officer before.”
Jones was spoken to by police over the phone on Saturday and issued with a summons to appear in court based on allegations of assault and interfering with communications due to having taken Martinez’s phone.
Of course this is far from the 36-year-old Jones first dealing with the police as he’s found himself in trouble multiple times over the years, including two instances of DUI, a hit-and-run case and most recently a domestic battery case in 2021 that led to a plea deal.
Jones has also been stripped of the UFC light-heavyweight title on no less than three occasions, with the first being due to the hit-and-run incident, while the other two were for anti-doping violations.
