Even though no charges or criminal investigations came of the events, I wonder if the Monster can incident or the Bellator incident will come into consideration during sentencing.
Assessing the criminal charges and evidence against McGregor
Regardless of McGregor’s motivations for launching an assault, he now faces criminal charges for the incursion. Most immediately concerning for McGregor and his attorneys are two felony charges for criminal mischief.
At its core, criminal mischief refers to intentionally damaging or defacing other persons’ property. The classification of criminal mischief as a felony depends on the degree of damaged caused. In New York, causing $250 of damages can lead to a felony charge that carries a potential sentence of up to four years in prison. Damages in excess of $5,000 can lead to a maximum prison sentence of seven years. McGregor faces one felony charge for causing more than $5,000 in damage and another felony charge for causing between $250 and $5,000 in damage. As a result, he could face up to 11 years in prison if convicted on both charges. As a first-time offender, however, McGregor would almost certainly not be sentenced to such a lengthy prison term.
Unfortunately for McGregor, video evidence alone could make the criminal mischief prosecution against him fairly simple. As New York City criminal defense attorney and former Manhattan prosecutor Jeremy Saland tells SI.com, “The video appears to reflect McGregor wantonly smashing a vehicle window. Assuming the damages exceeds $250 and he had no right to shatter it, the district attorney has an easy path to pursue should the full weight of the criminal law come to bear.”
McGregor also faces 10 misdemeanor charges. These mainly relate to assault, attempted assault, menacing and reckless endangerment. Taken together, these charges refer to intentionally or recklessly causing, or attempting to cause, injury to another person or placing them in fear of death or imminent serious harm. While misdemeanor convictions can lead to jail sentences of months or even a year, first-time offenders often avoid jail time. Instead, they might receive some combination of probation, community service, fines and restitution to the victims.
As with the felony charges, video evidence of McGregor throwing objects would be used against him as proof of assault, reckless endangerment and the other misdemeanors. Assuming the facial, optical and knuckle injuries suffered by Chiesa, Borg and the unnamed UFC employee, respectively, are proven to have occurred as a result of the melee (and are not pre-existing), McGregor’s actions would be directly connected to those injuries.
McGregor faces 12 criminal charges after altercation