Gilroy boxer Robert Guerrero told ESPN on Tuesday that the gun charges stemming from his March 28 arrest at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York are “all taken care of.”
“It’s all taken care of,” Guerrero told ESPN. “It was a misunderstanding. (Showtime) wanted to film me doing a thing here in Las Vegas. I’m an active fisherman, hunter. Unfortunately, they didn’t make it here. I was just unaware of New York City law.”
Guerrero’s court date is May 14. Guerrero spoke following his arrival Tuesday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Guerrero (31-1-1, 18 KOs) will face pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr. (43-0, 26 KOs) for Mayweather’s WBC welterweight title Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The fight will be televised on Showtime Pay Per View.
Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer told the Dispatch on April 2 that Guerrero traveled with the gun because the Gilroy southpaw meant to use it at a Las Vegas shooting range as a hobby.
Asked by the Dispatch during a conference call April 24 to confirm Schaefer’s explanation, Guerrero said: “I’m only going to answer questions about boxing.”
Guerrero said he hasn’t been distracted since the arrest.
“No, I’m ready to go,” he said. “You know, there’s nothing stopping me from winning this fight. All the focus is there. I’m in training camp, I’m ready to go (and) that’s the bottom line.”
ESPN reported that Guerrero’s co-manager, Luis DeCubas Jr., quickly redirected questions Tuesday after reporters asked about the gun charges.
Guerrero was arraigned later March 28 on a four-count criminal complaint charging him with one count of criminal possession of a firearm and three counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, according to the Queens County District Attorney’s office. One day after celebrating his 30th birthday, Guerrero had been arrested and charged with illegally traveling with an unloaded pistol and three unloaded high-capacity bullet magazines.
The weapon, a Smith & Wesson .40-caliber gun, is registered to Guerrero in California, according to Kevin Ryan, director of communications for the Queens County District Attorney’s office. However, the gun is not registered in New York, which is among the toughest states in the country on gun laws. Guerrero could face up to seven years in prison if convicted, according to the Queens County District Attorney’s office.
