SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – Youth boxing champion Armani Almestica may no longer be heading to the Olympics as he faces a string of felony burglary charges.
The 18-year-old was arrested Sept.13 in connection with a vehicle theft.
The Seminole County Sheriff's Office said Almestica was part of the trio that sent deputies on a chase throughout an Oviedo subdivision after stealing an SUV.
Two of those suspects tried to hide from deputies in garbage bins; Almestica was one of them.
USA Boxing was made aware of Almestica's arrest Tuesday. The agency released a statement saying they are monitoring the situation. If prompted to, the organization will follow its grievance procedures.
Almestica's boxing career began in 2011. He won first place in the 2018 Youth National Championships, according to his Team USA bio. The Orlando native also placed third in the international 2019 Emil Jechev Memorial Tournament.
According to jail records, Almestica's next court date is Oct. 15.