Embattled boxer Ryan Garcia on Thursday responded defiantly to new charges that he vandalized a ritzy Beverly Hills hotel last month — insisting there’s “no way I’m going to jail.”
Garcia, 25, was charged with one count of vandalism of $400 or more in damage or destruction of property, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced Thursday.
Garcia quickly responded to the charges on X, writing “no way I’m going to jail.”
The athlete was arrested on June 8 for supposedly causing an estimated $15,000 worth of damage to the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills.
“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,” Los Angeles County DA George Gascón said.
“Our office will work to ensure the responsible individual is held accountable.”
A second person, Celeste Cardio, was arrested alongside Garcia.
The case against Cardio did not move forward due to “insufficient evidence, the DA’s office explained.
Garcia will be arraigned on Aug. 7.
If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of one year in county jail.
The day after his arrest, the boxer’s attorney told Eyewitness News that the scandal came at “an extraordinarily challenging time for Ryan, as he has been grappling with devastating news regarding his mother’s health.”
In late June, Garcia was suspended for a year by the New York State Athletic Commission, which determined that his April victory over Devin Haney would be considered no-contest after he tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs.
Garcia was also fined $100,000.
Last week, the athlete promised to go to rehab after his ex-wife accused him of harassing her and their two children and trashing their home.
“I woke up the next morning regretting everything I did and everything I said about Andrea,” Garcia said in a TikTok video. “I came on here just to say I’m sorry. Andrea, you’re the mother of my children and somebody that I’ll always have love and respect for.”
“Saying that, I finally decided to get some help. I’m going to rehab and in the next couple of months, you’re going to see a change. I’ve got to handle some things, but after that, yeah, I’m going to check myself into rehab and get better,” he added.