Legendary boxer Julio César Chávez Jr. will stand trial over alleged cartel ties and arms trafficking, his lawyer has mentioned.
A Mexican court docket has granted a three-month extension for additional investigation into the case, in line with Chávez’s lawyer, Rubén Fernando Benítez Alvarez.
He mentioned the claims towards his shopper have been “speculation” and “urban legends” after a court docket listening to on Saturday within the northern Mexican metropolis of Hermosillo.
If convicted, Chávez – who took half within the listening to nearly from a detention facility – might face a jail sentence of 4 to eight years, Mr Alvarez mentioned.
Chávez, 39, who has been dwelling in america for a number of years, was arrested in early July by federal brokers exterior his Los Angeles dwelling for overstaying his visa and offering inaccurate particulars on an software to acquire a inexperienced card.
The arrest got here simply days after a combat he had with famed American boxer Jake Paul in Los Angeles.
Mexican prosecutors have been investigating the boxer since 2019 after US authorities filed a grievance towards the Sinaloa Cartel for organized crime, human trafficking, arms smuggling, and drug trafficking.
The case prompted investigations into 13 people, together with Ovidio Guzmán López – the son of convicted drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán – in addition to a number of associates, hitmen, and accomplices of the legal group. Guzmán López was arrested in January 2023 and extradited to the US eight months later.
The boxer was deported by the US on 9 August and handed over to brokers of the Federal Lawyer Normal’s Workplace in Sonora state, who transferred him to the Federal Social Reintegration Heart in Hermosillo.
The high-profile case comes amid the Trump administration’s efforts to strain Mexico into cracking down on organized crime, together with cancelling visas of outstanding Mexican artists and celebrities, and growing deportations.
Chávez has struggled with drug habit all through his profession and has been arrested a number of occasions. In 2012, he was discovered responsible of driving below the affect in Los Angeles and was sentenced to 13 days in jail.
The boxer was arrested final 12 months for weapons possession. Police mentioned Chávez had two rifles.
He was launched shortly afterward upon posting $50,000 bail (£36,000), on the situation that he attend a facility to obtain remedy for his habit.
