Former UFC fighter Hermes Franca deported following prison sentence for sex crimes

Former UFC lightweight contender Hermes Franca has been deported to his native country of Brazil following a conviction for sexual abuse in Oregon after charges were filed against him in 2011.

Franca pleaded guilty in 2012 to attempted first-degree sexual abuse of a girl under 14 and second-degree unlawful sexual penetration.

Once he was convicted, a judge sentenced Franca to 42 months in prison.

Following his prison sentence, which was completed last month according to Oregon Live, Franca was remanded to federal custody at a center in Tacoma, Washington.  There a Federal judge ordered him to be deported from the country.

Franca was given permanent residence in the United States in 2007, but the judge opted to send him back to Brazil, revoking his status as of this week.

Franca, 39, was placed on a plane bound for Brazil by Federal agents on Tuesday.

It's been nearly five years since Franca last competed in the UFC when he was knocked out by Tyson Griffin at UFC 103 in 2009.  Franca reached the peak of his time in the UFC in 2007 when he lost a unanimous decision to Sean Sherk with the UFC lightweight title on the line. Following that fight, Franca tested positive for steroids where he was suspended from the sport for one year and fined $2500.

Franca never fought for a title in the UFC again.