UFC heavyweight prospect Gable Steveson, an Olympic champion and protégé of Jon Jones, was arrested on June 15, 2019, along with a teammate while part of the U.S. wrestling team during the Olympic cycle. Both were charged with group sexual assault involving a foreign object after a victim reported the incident at a hospital. According to the post, charges were ultimately dropped due to a legal loophole that prevented the victim's testimony from being admitted because she had voluntarily consumed alcohol on the evening of the incident. No witnesses existed beyond the victim and the two team members, and their accounts contradicted each other. While no direct evidence of Steveson's guilt was established, the law was reportedly changed after this case to ensure victim testimony is considered under any circumstances. The post includes video of Steveson celebrating with Jon Jones at a Dirty Boxing event.
Gable Steveson, the Olympic gold medalist and UFC heavyweight prospect closely associated with Jon Jones, was arrested on June 15, 2019, alongside a teammate while both were members of the U.S. wrestling team during the Olympic cycle. The two were charged with group sexual assault involving a foreign object after a victim came forward and reported the incident at a hospital.
According to the account circulating online, the charges were ultimately dropped due to a legal loophole that prevented the victim's testimony from being admitted at trial. The basis for the exclusion was that she had voluntarily consumed alcohol on the evening of the incident. With no witnesses present beyond the victim and the two accused team members, and with their accounts directly contradicting each other, prosecutors were left without admissible evidence sufficient to proceed. No direct evidence establishing Steveson's guilt was presented as part of the legal record.
The report notes that the law in question was subsequently amended following this case, with the change designed to ensure that a victim's testimony cannot be excluded solely on the grounds of voluntary alcohol consumption.
Jon Jones, the 38-year-old heavyweight champion who carries a 28-1-0 professional record, has been publicly connected to Steveson as a mentor figure. Jones, who stands six-foot-four with an 84-inch reach, has positioned himself as a guide for Steveson's transition from amateur wrestling into professional mixed martial arts. A video of the two together at a Dirty Boxing event has accompanied the reporting on this story.
Why it matters
- The case predates Steveson's UFC career but resurfaces as his professional profile rises under Jones's mentorship
- Charges were dropped on procedural grounds, not an adjudication of innocence or guilt
- State law was reportedly revised after this incident to protect victim testimony in similar circumstances
- The connection to Jones adds a prominent public figure to a story with significant reputational implications
