UFC lightweight Luis Peña was arrested Friday and charged with multiple offenses, including battery and robbery by sudden snatching.
The Coral Springs (Fl.) Police Department picked Peña up on Friday after receiving an anonymous tip. An MMA Fighting report released Saturday contains the following statement from a CSPD spokesperson, Christian Swinson:
“It was actually called in by another police department for us to go and get him, and then we had an independent person tell us where he was, and they took him into custody under that warrant,” Christian Swinson, a public information officer for the Coral Springs police, told MMA Fighting.
No further information is known at this time about the alleged incident, but Peña has been charged for the following: robbery by sudden snatching, battery, and criminal mischief. The robbery and battery charges are pending trial.
“Probably whoever called it in anonymously is involved in that case and wanted him to go to jail,” Swinson said.
Just three days ago, Peña posted the following tweet regarding his mental health:
“People aren’t comfortable talking about this, but I have been going through serious mental health issues my entire life and have finally gained the strength to get and accept the help I’ve needed for a long time. If you’re struggling take it from me its okay to reach out.”
If convicted, Peña could be facing up to five years in prison, as robbery by sudden snatching is classified as a third-degree felony in Florida.
The 27-year-old Peña is a three-year veteran of the UFC and has a promotional record of 5-3. The Ultimate Fighter alum most recently defeated Alexander Munoz two months ago at UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Gastelum.
MMA News will keep you up to speed with any new developments on this breaking story.
