Julio César Chávez Jr. Arrested and Faces Deportation to Mexico
The renowned Mexican boxer, Julio César Chávez Jr., has been arrested in the United States for exceeding the duration of his visa and for allegedly lying on his permanent resident card application. Federal authorities have confirmed that he will be deported to Mexico, where he faces charges related to organized crime. The detention occurred a few days after Chávez Jr. lost a fight against influencer and boxer Jake Paul in Anaheim, California. According to the Department of Homeland Security, it was determined that Chávez Jr. should be arrested on June 27, a day before the fight. The reason for the delay in the action has not been specified. The arrest took place on Wednesday, when federal agents detained Chávez Jr. while he was riding a scooter near his residence in the exclusive Studio City neighborhood of Los Angeles, according to his lawyer, Michael Goldstein.Chávez Jr.’s family issued a statement expressing their support for the boxer, trusting in his innocence and requesting that the competent authorities carry out their work without external pressure. Chávez Jr., 39, has had a career marked by ups and downs, often struggling with addiction. In 2012, he was convicted of driving under the influence and in January 2024, he was arrested for weapons possession. Currently, the weapons possession case is still pending. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authorities detained Chavez Jr. for overstaying a tourist visa he obtained in August 2023, which expired in February 2024. Furthermore, it is alleged that he submitted fraudulent statements when applying for permanent residency in April 2024, based on his marriage to Frida Muñoz, who is the mother of a granddaughter of the drug trafficker Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. U.S. authorities believe that Chávez Jr. is linked to the powerful Sinaloa Cartel. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) alerted ICE about Chávez Jr. on December 17, noting that he posed a threat to public safety, however, he was allowed to return to the country without a visa on January 4. The Attorney General’s Office of the Republic of Mexico issued an arrest warrant against “Julio C” in March 2023, in connection with an investigation into organized crime and arms trafficking. Mexico has initiated extradition proceedings. Chávez Jr. had declared to be clean before his fight with Paul and was in good physical shape. Before the fight, the boxer and his trainers were concerned about immigration-related detentions.The current accusations are outrageous and simply another headline to terrorize the community.
Michael Goldstein, Julio César Chávez Jr.’s lawyer
