Julio César Chávez Jr. Released from Mexican Prison Amid Cartel and Arms Trafficking Allegations

Julio César Chávez Jr., the son of legendary Mexican boxing champion Julio César Chávez, was released Sunday from a prison in northern Mexico, where he had been held since August following his deportation from the United States.

Chávez Jr. is currently awaiting trial on serious charges alleging his involvement with organized crime groups and the illegal trafficking of firearms into Mexico. Despite the gravity of the accusations, a judge in the northern city of Hermosillo ruled that he would not be required to remain in custody while legal proceedings continue. However, Chávez is prohibited from leaving the country, according to a federal agent who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, citing a lack of authorization to comment publicly.

The court also established a three-month window for further investigation before the case proceeds.

Chávez’s attorney, Rubén Fernando Benítez Álvarez, has dismissed the allegations as unfounded, referring to them as “speculation” and “urban legends.”

The boxer was taken into custody in the United States in July, shortly after a widely publicized bout against American social media personality–turned–boxer Jake Paul in Los Angeles. Although Mexican authorities had issued a warrant for his arrest in 2023, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador acknowledged that he had not been apprehended earlier due to his extended stays in the U.S.

Chávez’s case forms part of a broader investigation initiated by Mexican prosecutors in 2019 targeting the Sinaloa Cartel. The sweeping probe encompasses charges of organized crime, human trafficking, arms smuggling, and narcotics distribution, based in part on a formal complaint filed by the United States.