Los Angeles Kings defenseman Slava Voynov was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Thursday shortly after being released from jail for serving a sentence for domestic abuse. He’s now being held at an undisclosed location.
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Voynov, a member of the Kings’ Stanley Cup teams in 2012 and 2014, also is recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon.
Voynov originally was charged with a felony but pleaded no contest to a reduced misdemeanor charge.
The Kings have declined to comment.
Voynov was suspended indefinitely by the National Hockey League after his October. 20 arrest by Redondo Beach police.
But the process may extend for a year or more if he is released on bond because of a backlog of cases in immigration court.
Instead of going home, though, Voynov was transported to another detention cell – where he’ll sit without bond due to the violent nature of his crimes – with the US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement.
Voynov was arrested in October and suspended immediately by the team. Voynov completed his sentence Wednesday and was then taken into custody by ICE officials.
“A no contest plea, especially if the defendant admits damaging facts, can effectively be treated by immigration officials as a guilty plea”, SI.com legal analyst Michael McCann told the Times after Voynov’s plea. “Mr. Voynov entered the U.S.in 2013 on a temporary visa for internationally recognized athletes”. Redondo Beach police Officer Gregory Wiist testified during the trial that Varlamova said her husband punched her following an argument at a Halloween party, according to Patch. “He’s in a tough spot”.
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“According to the victim, she is scared of the defendant and he is very aggressive when he drinks”, Voynov’s probation report said. But there is no straightforward answer.
