Rocco Joseph Mantella was arrested on April 26 by the Orlando (Florida) police after bystanders at Lake Eola Park witnessed him practicing karate moves and head kicking swans according to the Orlando Sentinel.
The officers arrested Mantella without any issued and the amateur MMA fighters was charged with one count of animal cruelty. Mantella has seen been given a bond of $1,000, but Mantella has also requested an attorney and even filed a claim for indigent status.
This is not the first time Mantella has been arrested, as he has also been charged in the past with trespassing at Disney World, trying to steal food from peoples trays at McDonalds and threatening to rob a couple at a park.
Mantella’s amateur MMA career lasted for just a single fight and that was a majority decision win over Doug Stiner at Xtreme Caged Combat: Carnage in August of 2012. Mantella was also supposed to make his professional MMA debut at Ring Of Combat 39, but that bout was canceled for unknown reasons.
If Mantella is found guilty of the animal cruelty charge, it could result in fines up to $10,000, with six months of jail time and mandatory counseling/anger management treatment.
