Former UFC fighter Diego Sanchez was arrested in Socorro, New Mexico, and booked on allegations of aggravated driving whereas intoxicated and violating probation, in line with on-line jail records. Sanchez, 44, was booked at 5:17 p.m. native time Monday, with restricted public data obtainable in regards to the circumstances resulting in the arrest. Sanchez was being held within the Socorro County Jail as of Monday night time.
Diego Sanchez Arrested
The aggravated DWI allegation carries further weight as a result of Diego Sanchez was already serving 5 years of supervised probation from a 2025 firearm case, and one reported situation of that sentence required him to keep away from alcohol. Earlier Gun Case The brand new arrest comes months after Sanchez acquired probation in Albuquerque District Courtroom following an incident close to I-40 and College in July 2025.
Prosecutors mentioned Diego Sanchez fired a gun into the air from a Jeep whereas the car handed a crash scene in Albuquerque visitors. Sanchez later pleaded responsible to a fourth-degree felony cost tied to discharging a firearm from a motorcar.
As a part of a plea deal, a separate negligent-use-of-a-deadly-weapon cost was dismissed. Prosecutors sought a two-year jail sentence, however the courtroom as an alternative imposed 5 years of supervised probation. At his sentencing, Sanchez took accountability for the incident and mentioned he had been engaged on sobriety and mental-health therapy. His legal professional, Max Pines, advised the courtroom Sanchez had made progress via therapy for substance abuse and psychological well being. Sanchez mentioned he was attending Turning Level Restoration Heart and taking medicine after a bipolar prognosis. The felony cost carried a attainable most sentence of six and a half years.
The probation sentence allowed Sanchez to keep away from jail on the time, though the courtroom document made clear that violations may lead to jail time. What Is Recognized Jail information listing aggravated DWI and probation violation as the 2 present allegations.
No public report has but outlined the situation of the cease, any alleged driving conduct, a check consequence, whether or not anybody was injured, or the exact foundation cited for the probation-violation allegation. These particulars might emerge via courtroom filings or law-enforcement information. An arrest is an allegation, not a discovering of guilt. Sanchez could be entitled to contest each the DWI cost and any claimed breach of his probation circumstances via the New Mexico courtroom course of.
Sanchez turned one in every of MMA’s best-known names after profitable the primary season of “The Final Fighter” in 2004. He fought 22 occasions within the UFC between 2005 and 2022, challenged for the UFC light-weight title in opposition to B.J. Penn in 2009, and was a part of the UFC Corridor of Fame combat with Clay Guida that very same 12 months.
After leaving the UFC, Sanchez made a one-off Naked Knuckle Combating Championship look in February 2023. His newest authorized case now places his standing beneath supervised probation in focus, with the following key growth anticipated to be whether or not prosecutors or probation officers search additional motion following the Socorro arrest.
