Hockey

Kings' Slava Voynov taken into custody after domestic violence sentence

The Los Angeles Kings' Slava Voynov has been taken into custody by U.S. immigration officials, two months after pleading no contest to a domestic violence charge.

Russian citizen faces possible deportation

Los Angeles Kings defenceman Slava Voynov, seen with his wife Marta Varlamova, right, faces possible deportation pleading no contest to a domestic violence charge. (Brad Graverson/The Daily Breeze/Associated Press)

The Los Angeles Kings' Slava Voynov has been taken into custody by U.S. immigration officials, two months after pleading no contest to a domestic violence charge.

The Los Angeles Times reports the Russian citizen faces possible deportation. He is being held without bail pending a hearing before an immigration judge.

The 25-year-old defenceman was arrested at his Redondo Beach home in October after an argument with his wife. Police say he choked and kicked her.

Voynov originally was charged with a felony but pleaded no contest to a reduced misdemeanour charge.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers took him into custody Wednesday when he was released from a jail where he'd been serving his sentence.

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly says the league is aware of Voynov's situation.