Former UFC fighter Paul Kelly (14-5) has been found guilty of trafficking heroin in the United Kingdom. Kelly is expected to face a lengthy prison sentence after jurors returned unanimous guilty verdicts following a four-day trial.
The Liverpool Echo reported that Kelly had denied being a major heroin dealer after an acquaintance of his was picked up with 1.5kg of import purity drugs in the footwell of his car.
The Liverpool paper explains Judge Mark Brown considered Kelly “the boss” in the organisation. According to The Echo, the investigation centered around Kelly and his best friend Christopher St John McGirr and their movements at the time of police raids in December 2011 and May 2012.
Twenty-eight-year-old Kelly has been fighting professionally in Mixed Martial Arts since 2005 and began fighting for the Ultimate Fighting Championships in 2008. Whilst with the organisation he built up a record of 5-4, but was released after his loss to Donald Cerrone at UFC 126 in February 2011. During his time with the promotion he picked up “Fight of the Night” honors on two occasions.
The paper reported that when the verdicts were being announced Kelly shouted “I’ve got two kids!”, and a man believed to be his dad was thrown out by police after an outburst.
Paul Kelly is currently in custody ahead of sentencing next month.
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