Patrick Fallon/AFP via Getty Jon Jones stands on a scale during the weigh-in before his UFC 285 heavyweight title bout against Ciryl Gane.
UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones has released a statement in response to reports that he was arrested after a drug-testing agent accused him of threatening to kill her during a March 2024 incident at his home in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
ABQ Raw first reported on April 6, 2024, that a criminal summons had been issued in connection to the incident. Heavy has obtained the incident report from the Albuquerque Police Department confirming that a summons was issued to Jones on charges of assault and interfering with communications.
The report states that the incident was reported to police on April 5, 2024. “Crystal Martinez reported Jon Jones had assaulted her while she was at one of his residences conducting a drug test,” police wrote in the report.
Martinez works for Drug Free Sport International, the agency the UFC contracted with in December 2023 to collect samples as part of its revised anti-doping program, according to a press release.
On April 7, Jones posted on X, “I wanted to address some misinformation that has been circulating this morning. I woke up to false reports that I had been arrested. I have not been arrested. In fact, I am currently in Texas with my daughters at a volleyball tournament.”
Jones added, “I must admit, it’s disappointing to have to clarify these things again, but I understand that I may be an easy target given some of my past issues. It’s important to set the record straight and make sure the truth is told.”
Hello everyone,
I wanted to address some misinformation that has been circulating this morning . I woke up to false reports that I had been arrested . I have not been arrested. In fact, I am currently in Texas with my daughters at a volleyball tournament.
I must admit, it’s…
“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,” Jones wrote.
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.”
The UFC hasn’t commented on the latest Jones incident. In December 2023, when the UFC announced its new anti-doping program, the company’s press release stated, “Beginning on December 31, UFC athletes will be subject to no-notice sample collections by UFC’s new biological sample collection and shipping agency, Drug Free Sport International (DFSI), or one of its contracted affiliates.”
The statement added, “DFSI has more than 5,000 collection personnel worldwide, who will provide UFC with greater global coverage than it had under the prior program. The unannounced sample collections will take place 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. DFSI will only be the sample collector under the new program and will not have any authority to adjudicate violations.”
The Drug-Testing Agent Told Police Jon Jones ‘Appeared Intoxicated, Verbally Threatened to Kill Her & Took Her Phone’
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via GettyJon Jones celebrates after defeating French mixed martial arts fighter Ciryl Gane during their UFC 285 heavyweight title bout at T-Mobile Arena, in Las Vegas, Nevada, on March 4, 2023.
According to the police incident reported obtained by Heavy, Martinez reported that Jones “appeared intoxicated, verbally threatened to kill her and took her phone,” during the incident at 4 p.m. on March 30.
Martinez told police she went to Jones’ home with a coworker, Jerome Romero, to conduct a drug test. They were directed to the garage and Martinez told police they located Jones and she told them they were there to conduct a drug test and showed him her credentials, adding “he was cooperative at first.”
Officer Miguel Andres Stanley wrote in his report, “Crystal told me she laid her equipment on a table including her phone. Crystal informed me that Jones wanted to do the urine test in the garage so she went around the corner while Jerome stood with Jones. Crystal stated she waited a few minutes and then went back because she did not hear anything and they were gone. Crystal said that Jerome and Jones came through a door and that Jerome appeared nervous and said Jones could not pee.”
Stanley added, “Crystal explained to me she offered to do a blood test instead and stated Jones appeared agitated by him being ‘tense and puffed up’ and looked bugged. Crystal stated that Jones was asking them questions if they had money because he was going to sue them. Crystal stated that Jones picked up her phone and started recording them saying he was going to sue them which she had video of. It should be noted at the time that Jones had no shirt on and his size compared to Crystal.”
Stanley wrote:
I looked at the video and it appeared Jones stated something to the effect ‘Here (expletive) Jerome and his girlfriend in my garage’ and the video cut off. Crystal stated after that, Jones had made the statements about suing them and put her phone in his pocket. Crystal told me she asked for the phone back and he refused and got into her face stating ‘Why you (expletive) people come so early, do you know what happens to people who come to my house they end up dead.’ Crystal said she felt afraid, her heart was pounding, was terrified at that moment and Jones was less than a foot away. Crystal explained she wanted to terminate the test right then and there but was afraid Jones might hit her since the UFC fines athletes if the test is not taken. Crystal stated that she tried to signal Jerome discreetly for help or to see if he thought they should leave. Crystal said she wanted to call for help but Jones had her phone. Crystal told me she told Jerome to tell his girlfriend who was sitting in a car parked in the driveway to leave because Jones seemed upset the car was in his driveway and thought it might calm him down. Crystal clarified that Jerome could not call for help either since he had given his phone to his girlfriend earlier.
According to the report, Martinez told police that Jones then later agreed to take the urine test again and put her phone on a counter. She said she grabbed the phone while Jones and Romero went to a patio area. “Crystal stated that when she texted her boss, only known as Pierson Laughlin that Jones was threatening her and that she could not talk with him over the phone right now because Jones could come back at any moment and thought Jones would attack her if he saw her on the phone. Crystal told me that Jerome and Jones had come back and that Jerome looked pale and nervous. Crystal stated Jerome started to package and seal the urine so they could get out of there but he kept making, mistakes which she believed was because he was nervous,” Stanley wrote in the report.
Stanley added:
Crystal later stated she believed Jones might have been drunk because she smelled an odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from him. Crystal said once they left she did an internal report for her boss but also informed him she was going to file a police report and he told her to hold off until UFC representatives spoke with her and that Jerome told her he did not want to file one because he was afraid of the repercussions. Crystal stated that later Pierson contacted her on Tuesday 04/04/2024 asking her why she wanted to file a report and seemed like he was trying to talk her out of it. Crystal said she tried to file a report a few days ago but was waiting for hours so she said she would call back.
According to the report, Martinez told Stanley she wanted to file charges against Jones and Stanley wrote “a summons will be issued to Jones.”
He added, “I attempted to contact Pierson and Jerome at the telephone numbers provided but got no answer so a voicemail was left. Pierson later contacted me and stated all he knew was what Crystal told him and preferred not to give a statement. Crystal also provided me with a written statement she had given to her boss about the incident which is attached. This concludes my involvement with this case. My OBRD footage of contact will be uploaded to evidence.com.”
Jones Also Posted Security Camera Video Showing Part of the Incident With the Drug-Testing Agents
Jones released video from his home security showing part of the incident.
He wrote on Instagram, alongside the video, “I want to address reports about me allegedly threatening a drug tester’s life and taking a phone, 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.”
Jones added, “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, 36, has had legal issues multiple times in the past. Most recently, in December 2021, Jones pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor property damage charge stemming from an incident with his fiancee in Las Vegas that resulted in damage to a police vehicle, according to The Associated Press. He was initially charged with domestic battery.
Jones was previously charged with DUI in 2012 and was charged in connection to a hit-and-run crash with a pregnant woman in 2015, according to ESPN. After pleading guilty in that case he as arrested again in 2016 on charges accusing him of violating his probation. In 2019, Jones was accused of putting a strip club waitress in a chokehold and pleaded guilty to a disorderly conduct charge, ESPN reported. He pleaded guilty to second-degree DWI in 2020, according to court records.
Jones has also had issues with drug testing. He has test positive for cocaine and trace amounts of steroids, ESPN reported. According to ESPN, Jones told MMA Junkie in 2019, “Every week, maybe twice a week, someone is at my house taking blood and urine. I’m OK with it. I’ve got nothing to hide. I’m excited to learn about what’s in my body.”
Jones last fought at UFC 285 in Las Vegas on March 4, 2023, defeating Cyril Gane to win the vacant UFC Heavyweight Championship. Jones was scheduled to defend his title against former champ Stipe Miocic at UFC 295 in New York City in November 2023, but he had to pull out of the fight because of a torn pectoral muscle and he doesn’t have a fight currently scheduled as he recovers from that injury, according to the UFC.
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