MMA veteran Rafael de Freitas will no longer be facing jail time after rape charges against him were dropped by a prosecutor.
Back in November 2020, de Freitas, a jiu-jitsu coach, was charged with third-degree sexual criminal penetration. This came from allegedly drugging and raping a student of his in her home. Court records indicate that there wasn't enough evidence against de Freitas.
"While probable cause existed at the time of arrest, additional investigation has revealed that, at this time, there exists an insufficient factual basis to meet the State's burden at trial," records stated (h/t Sherdog).
Jason Bowles of Bowles Law Firm argued that the encounter was consensual. While he made a transgression in his marriage, de Freitas denies all wrongdoing. Since the arrest, de Freitas was no longer considered involved in anything related to Jackson-Wink MMA. He currently teaches at the Gracie Barra New Mexico Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Albuquerque
"This obviously is a case of what was consensual sex with a female who has changed her mind, or perhaps she set up Mr. de Freitas to begin with, because of a motive to hurt and destroy him which is now well known,” Bowles stated.
The 37-year-old made his MMA debut in 2007. Competing on The Ultimate Fighter in 2013, de Freitas would lose to Cody Bollinger. He would compete for promotions like ECSC and LFC before retiring in 2014.
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