WBC welterweight champion Robert Guerrero, who is due to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr in May, was arrested after attempting to take a gun on a plane.
Guerrero, 30, was arrested at JohnFKennedyInternationalAirport on Wednesday and charged with illegally travelling with an unloaded pistol and and three unloaded bullet magazines, Queens District Attorney Richard A Brown confirmed.
Brown said: “I hope that Mr Guerrero fights better than he thinks.
“For anyone who hasn’t gotten the message, let me be crystal clear. You cannot bring an unlicensed weapon – loaded or unloaded – into this county or this city. And if you do you will be arrested and face felony charges.”
Guerrero told authorities he was carrying a gun in his luggage as he checked in for a flight to Las Vegas, the venue for the upcoming fight against Mayweather, on Wednesday morning.
The gun was, according to Guerrero’s camp, legally owned in his home state of California.
Earlier this year, illegal possession of an unloaded firearm was was upgraded from a misdemeanour to a felony in New YorkState, meaning Guerrero could face jail time if found guilty.
A statement from Golden Boy Promotions, released on Wednesday night through BoxingNews24.com, said: “Early this morning [Wednesday] six-time and four-division world champion Robert Guerrero was checking in his luggage at John F Kennedy International Airport in New York City, bound for Las Vegas, and, as he was doing so, made sure to advise the authorities that they needed to be aware that he had a firearm, which was unloaded and in a locked safe box with his luggage to be checked.
“Guerrero was carrying no ammunition and was within his legal right to possess such firearm in the state in which he resides.
“He was then arrested.
“At an arraignment held before the New York State Supreme Court for QueensCounty, the court, after hearing the pertinent facts of the case, released Guerrero on his own recognisance.
“The next hearing in this matter is scheduled for after Robert’s May 4 fight against eight-time and five-division world champion Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather.”