Joey Chestnut, the 17-time winner of the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor battery charge and been sentenced to probation following a bar altercation in Indiana earlier this year.
Mr. Chestnut was charged with battery resulting in bodily injury, a Class A misdemeanor, stemming from an incident at Joe’s Grille in Westfield on March 21. Police received a report at 2:32 a.m. that Mr. Chestnut had slapped a man in the face at the establishment.
According to court documents, the victim told police Mr. Chestnut struck him across the face with an open hand after the two exchanged a handshake at the bar in the early morning hours of March 21.
Mr. Chestnut told officers he was “pretty drunk and didn’t remember” the interaction. Bar surveillance footage showed him using his right hand to strike the victim. Upon reviewing the footage, he said the slap “looked like a joke,” but later acknowledged he must have reacted to something the victim said.
Mr. Chestnut pleaded guilty in April to a lesser Class B misdemeanor battery charge and was sentenced to 180 days of probation. His attorney, Mario Massillamany, said Mr. Chestnut took full responsibility for the incident.
“Joey regrets engaging and the interaction being misinterpreted,” his management team said in a statement. “He strives to always connect in a fun manner with fans. He’s committed to avoiding being in those situations going forward.”
The guilty plea carries no travel restrictions, meaning Mr. Chestnut will be free to compete at the annual Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, New York, on July 4. Earlier this month, Mr. Chestnut won the 2026 Ultimate Bologna Showdown in Knoxville, Tennessee, eating 16 pounds of bologna over eight minutes for his third consecutive title in the event.
Mr. Chestnut was banned from the 2024 Nathan’s event due to a conflicting sponsorship deal with plant-based meat brand Impossible Foods, but returned to the contest in 2025 and won his 17th title.
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