L.A. Kings Defenseman Slava Voynov Sent to Immigration Detention Center

Los Angeles Kings hockey player Slava Voynov’s problems escalated on Thursday when the Seal Beach Police Detention Center released him to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The Los Angeles Times reported that the the twenty-five year old Russian defenseman sat in jail since July 7 after pleading no contest to a misdemeanor domestic violence charge. Because of the violent nature of the charges and Voynov’s classification as a flight risk, the court allowed no bond.

Teddy Chadwick, an immigration lawyer licensed to practice in both California and Wisconsin, observed that Voynov remains in a tough spot. “An individual with crimes like domestic violence is not in great shape in immigration court,” he said.

If he remains in ICE custody, according to immigration lawyers the case against the beleaguered defenseman could drag on for a year or more. A possible scenario, because of a backlog of cases in immigration court, could see Voynov released on bond. If he left the country, he would probably not be let back in.

Voynov served as an important contributor to the Kings’ two championship teams over the past three seasons. Voynov is in the middle of a six-year, $25-million contract.

Oct. 20, 2014, Voynov allegedly punched his wife Marta Varlamova in the face at a team Halloween party. According to Sports Net, he allegedly continued his rampage when he arrived at his Redondo Beach home:

Police responded to a neighbor’s report of a woman screaming and crying in Voynov’s neighborhood on Sunday night, but couldn’t find anyone, Hoffman said. About 90 minutes later, Voynov was arrested after a nurse at the Torrance hospital called police to report the alleged victim was being treated for injuries that “alarmed” the emergency-room staff.

The Times further reported that Marta told police that she was “scared of the defendant and he is very aggressive when he drinks.” According to the police report “She admitted this was not the first time the defendant has struck her.”

“His lawyers didn’t seem to think he was going to be deportable based on this when they took the plea,” San Diego immigration lawyer Daniel Todd asserted. “They may realize that he’s stuck now and he has to just take it.”