Charges Dropped Against "Illegal Fight Club"

Wai Jia: The Kung Fu Forum Mixed Martial Arts
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FORT PIERCE — Prosecutors this morning decided not to file charges against a nationally-renowned mixed martial arts fighter who was arrested in October after investigators alleged he organized “illegal cage fighting” matches in a St. Lucie West warehouse.

Din Thomas, 21, of Port St. Lucie - who made a name for himself while competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship - was arrested on Oct. 31. Port St. Lucie police at the time said he organized and promoted an unsanctioned and unlicensed match out of a warehouse at 494 NW Lake Whitney Place, near Pea**** Boulevard, that drew more than 150 spectators.

He was accused of violating a Florida statute that governs “prohibited competitions,” a third-degree felony.

However, Assistant State Attorney Jeff Hendriks said today the state attorney’s office has decided not to file formal charges against Thomas, and filed paperwork dismissing the charge on which he was arrested.

Hendriks said several things factored into the decision, including an exception to the “prohibited competitions” statute for training.

He said if the fighter or participants were students of Thomas’ school, and the purpose of the school is to teach martial arts, then they meet the exception to the law.

He said Thomas’ attorney would have likely won a motion to dismiss the case by filing an affidavit stating that all the participants of the match that law enforcement officers observed on Oct. 19 were students of the school where Thomas teaches, American Top Team.

Hendriks also said it was revealed after Thomas’ arrest that the school didn’t profit from the match because all the money collected was raffled off, and that one of the students present was an emergency medical technician.

Those two points don’t affect whether the statute was broken, but Hendriks said “it would have made it difficult to convict beyond a reasonable doubt in this case were this case to even go far.”

“What is important is that the road patrol officers present had to determine whether they had probable cause to believe the statute was violated, and given the information at the time, they acted appropriately,” Hendricks said. “I have a different, higher burden of proof, as well as the hindsight advantage of full knowledge of the facts from both sides, and that is what formed my decision.”

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[QUOTE=MasterKiller;822455] he organized and promoted an unsanctioned and unlicensed match
."[/QUOTE]:frowning:

Lucky they let him slide!

the states are changing many laws regarding the combative sports
and enforcing them

http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=48975combative sports

SANDA needs to comply also

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Illegal cage fighting revisted

Let’s try this again. Try not to be so rude to each other this time… :rolleyes:

No charges against mixed martial arts teacher
By SARAH PROHASKA
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Saturday, December 01, 2007

FORT PIERCE — Prosecutors Friday declined to file charges against a nationally renowned mixed martial arts fighter who was arrested in October after investigators alleged he organized “illegal cage fighting” matches in St. Lucie West.

Din Thomas, 31, of Port St. Lucie - who made a name for himself while competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship - was arrested on Oct. 31. Port St. Lucie police at the time said he organized and promoted an unsanctioned and unlicensed match on Oct. 19 out of a facility at 494 N.W. Lake Whitney Place, near Pea**** Boulevard, that drew more than 150 spectators. He was accused of violating a Florida statute that governs “prohibited competitions,” a third-degree felony that could have carried a maximum five-year sentence.

However, Assistant State Attorney Jeff Hendriks filed paperwork Friday dismissing the charge on which Thomas was arrested.

Hendriks said Friday the state attorney’s office decided not to file formal charges against Thomas largely because of an exception to the “prohibited competitions” law that allows such competitions for training. He said if the fighter or participants in the match were students at Thomas’ school, and the purpose of the school is to teach martial arts, then they meet the exception to the law.

Thomas’ attorney probably would have won on a motion to dismiss the case after filing an affidavit stating that all the participants of the match were students at the school where Thomas teaches, American Top Team Port St. Lucie, Hendriks said.

It also was revealed after Thomas’ arrest that the school didn’t profit from the match because all the money collected was raffled off, and that one of the students present was an emergency medical technician, Hendriks said. Those two points don’t affect whether the statute was broken, but Hendriks said they “would have made it difficult to convict beyond a reasonable doubt in this case were this case to even go that far.”

“What is important is that the road patrol officers present had to determine whether they had probable cause to believe the statute was violated, and given the information at the time, they acted appropriately,” Hendriks said. “I have a different, higher burden of proof, as well as the hindsight advantage of full knowledge of the facts from both sides, and that is what formed my decision.”

Police began investigating after receiving a tip from a citizen who wanted to know what they were doing about the “fight club” in St. Lucie West, officials said last month. Investigators found out the time and place of the match, and four officers attended, according to a police report. They reported about 150 people were cheering and sitting on makeshift stands facing the cage where two men were fighting.

Thomas couldn’t be reached for comment, but his attorney, J. Corey Sucher, said Thomas was relieved the state attorney’s office listened to both sides and came to the decision not to file charges.

“He didn’t think he had done anything wrong all along,” Sucher said.

He also said Thomas did not charge $10 for admission, but people who attended could voluntarily pay $10 to participate in a raffle. He also said the facility wasn’t rented specifically for a special event, but one of American Top Team’s studios.

“Din never promoted this at all,” he said, adding that Thomas has more than 150 students who invited friends and family through word of mouth.

“This was not a competition or event, it was just a sparring session just like happens at mixed martial arts facilities everyday around the world,” Sucher said. “It was an opportunity to get some experience.”

At the time, Thomas told an officer he put the session together as a way for his students to gain experience fighting in front of crowds. He told an officer “they were only sparring like they do in class except in front of a crowd,” according to the report.

When asked if Thomas would organize any other sessions similar to this one, Sucher said: “Outside normal, everyday training sessions at the school - as far as inviting friends and family - probably not.”

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Florida should be its own country IMO. They totally live outside the political system anyways. I really don’t care about the above stated things about the illegal MMA fights I’m just pointing out that in a state like Florida you should come to expect anything “unusual” and “unexpected”

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another one

Land O’Lakes - that’s where the butter comes from, yes?

Two men accused of holding amateur mixed martial arts competitions in Pasco gym
By Joel Anderson, Times Staff Writer
In Print: Monday, June 22, 2009

ZEPHYRHILLS — Two men have been accused of holding an unsanctioned amateur mixed martial arts competition inside a gym in a strip mall in Zephyrhills, officials said.

Robert David Wood, 51, and Jason Aaron Wood, 23, were arrested about 10 p.m. Saturday at Jason A. Wood Gym at 4797 Allen Road. The men face felony prohibited competitions charges and were booked into the Pasco County Jail in Land O’Lakes.

Both men were released Sunday morning after each posting $5,000 bail. It was not immediately clear whether the men were related.

According to the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, Robert Wood and Jason Wood were promoting and holding an unsanctioned mixed martial arts competition at the gym on Saturday. State investigators from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, the Boxing Commission and the Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco accompanied a Pasco deputy on the arrests.

During interviews with the state Boxing Commission, Robert Wood and Jason Wood both admitted to putting on the fight competitions, officials said.

Reached by phone Sunday, Robert Wood said he had no comment.

The Boxing Commission, which is part of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, licenses and regulates professional boxing and mixed martial arts — a style of combat that allows punching, kicking, grappling and submission holds — in Florida. No mixed martial arts fights are allowed at the amateur level.

Joel Anderson can be reached at joelanderson@sptimes.com or (352) 754-6120.