The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced charges on Thursday against champion boxer Ryan Garcia after he allegedly vandalized a Beverly Hills hotel last month.
Garcia, 25, was arrested June 8 after he allegedly caused $15,000 in damages in his room and in the hallway of the Waldorf Astoria in Beverly Hills. There was no word on why the incident occurred, though drugs and alcohol may have been involved, according to TMZ.
The office of L.A. County District Attorney George Gascón charged Garcia with one misdemeanor count of vandalism $400 or more in damage or destruction of property.
“While we are grateful no injuries were reported in this incident, reckless behavior that damages property shows a blatant and unacceptable disregard for the safety and peace of our community,” Gascón said. “Our office will work to ensure the responsible individual is held accountable.”
Gascón declined to press charges against a second individual arrested at the hotel, citing a lack of evidence.
The charges come as Garcia, once viewed as a rising star in boxing, has faced other controversy in his professional and personal life. He was recently expelled from the World Boxing Council, one of the sport’s four major sanctioning bodies, for making racist comments on social media.
In a livestream, Garcia used racial slurs against Black people and made disparaging comments against Muslims. He later apologized and blamed substance abuse issues.
His high-profile victory in April over Devin Haney to earn the WBC’s super-lightweight title was later ruled a no contest after he tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance. Garcia was issued a one-year suspension by the New York State Athletic Commission as a result of the positive test.
Now facing legal issues, Garcia will be arraigned in L.A. County on August 7. Prosecutors say he faces a maximum of one year in county jail if convicted.
