Australian MMA coach Renato Subotic has shared his terrifying 24-hour ordeal in the United States. He flew in to coach a seminar. However, officials arrested him and placed him in federal prison due to a minor visa error.
Stopped at the Airport
At first, Subotic felt excited to land in the US. However, things went wrong quickly. Immigration officers stopped him at the border.
“Immigration pulled me aside and took me into an isolated room. The officer interviewing me looked like he was looking for something wrong,” he posted on Instagram.
Subotic clearly explained his reason for visiting. He gave full seminar details and travel plans. Still, officials didn’t trust him. They questioned him for over three hours.
“They told me there was a mistake with my visa and that they were taking me to jail ‘until they figure out what’s next.’ Just like that. No clear explanation, no chance to talk to anyone, no rights,” he added.
Sent to Federal Prison
Afterward, officers handcuffed him and took him to jail. There, guards stripped him of his belongings. “They stripped me of everything. Took my clothes, gave me jail clothes, fingerprinted me, took photos, searched me. Gave me a blanket and sheet,” he recalled.
Chaos Behind Bars
Next, they sent Subotic to a prison block full of chaos. Inmates yelled, argued over food, and created fear. Soon after he entered his cell, two men tried to rob him. He fought back.
“We had a fight. I got my stuff back. The other one ran out of the cell, screaming… When the guards rushed up, no one said anything,” he wrote. Following the fight, other inmates warned him. They told Subotic the attackers were part of a gang and might retaliate.
A Glimmer of Support
Meanwhile, a Venezuelan inmate approached Subotic. He recognized him as a fighter and offered support. The inmate explained prison rules and invited him to a Christian prayer group.
Subotic joined the prayer session that night. Although he felt safe there, returning to his cell brought more tension.
“I went back to my cell, exhausted. But when I walked in, I saw my cellmate and realized he was one of the two guys who tried to steal my blanket earlier,” Subotic said.
Consequently, he did not sleep that night.
“I couldn’t close my eyes. You heard people screaming. You felt what could be happening in those cells—rape, beatings, worse. I didn’t trust my cellmate. I didn’t sleep a second,” he added.
Release and Deportation
At 6 a.m., a guard woke him. Finally, they told him he would leave in a few hours. They served him cold oats and milk for breakfast.“The Mexican guy I’d beat up was still staring at me, like he wanted revenge. But he was out of time,” Subotic wrote.
Soon after, guards called out six names. Subotic was one of them. While the others went to court, he was being deported. Officers returned his clothes and drove him to the airport. At the airport, they kept him in a room without explanation. Eventually, he got the news.
“Eventually, I got the info: I was being deported,” he wrote. Surprisingly, an officer apologized. “They messed up big. It shouldn’t have gone this way,” the officer said.
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Legal Action Coming
Now back in Australia, Subotic plans to take action. “Now I’m back in Australia, I’ll speak with my lawyers… something has to be done about the way I was treated. Hope this never happen to nobody else,” he wrote.
Subotic also questioned the severity of the punishment. “I believe in respecting the rules. But putting someone in federal prison over a missing detail in a visa application? That’s crazy,” he said.
In conclusion, Subotic condemned how easily freedom can be taken away. “It’s insane how easily someone can take away your freedom, lock you in a federal prison, without a clear reason. No explanation. No warning. Just like that, you’re treated like the worst criminal,” he said.