Albuquerque MMA veteran Diego Sanchez avoids prison in gun case
Albuquerque mixed-martial arts legend Diego Sanchez will serve no prison time as a consequence of his arrest on gun-related charges last summer. The 44-year-old was sentenced in 2nd Judicial District Court on Thursday to five years’ supervised probation and 800 hours of community service. Sanchez initially pleaded not guilty to the felony gun charge but changed his plea to guilty on Feb.
18. As a convicted felon, Sanchez is prohibited from possessing a firearm for 10 years after serving his sentence. A records search showed Sanchez had no prior convictions.
A 2002 DWI charge and a 2023 charge of battery against a household member, both misdemeanors, were dismissed. On July 17, according to a criminal complaint, police officers were attending to a crash on westbound Interstate 40 when they heard a loud bang coming from a passing vehicle. Police pursued the vehicle, which exited the interstate at Sixth NW.
Police pulled over a white Jeep Gladiator at Sixth and the westbound frontage road. Sanchez, who was a passenger in the vehicle, was asked if he’d fired a shot, and he said no but acknowledged there was a gun in the vehicle. According to the complaint, two live rounds were found on the passenger-side floorboard and another under the passenger seat.
A spent casing was found on the passenger-side floorboard. Police asked the driver of the vehicle if Sanchez had fired a weapon. The driver said yes.