LaMelo Ball’s off-court world took an unexpected turn this week when Ana Montana, his longtime partner, was arrested in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, on Monday.
Booking records show Montana, whose real name is Analicia Chaves, faces two felony counts of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud or forgery, along with two misdemeanor counts of simple possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance. Authorities set her bond at $20,000 on the felony charges.
According to the arrest warrant, police allege Montana obtained alprazolam, the generic form of Xanax, from a Walgreens pharmacy. The warrant says the prescriptions were tied to a doctor’s allegedly stolen DEA registration and medical provider ID. The alleged conduct dates back to February 21, and the warrant was issued on September 22, six days before her arrest.
Her attorney pushed back on the way the case has been framed, telling TMZ, “To clarify, the charges allege that a doctor who used a fraudulent DEA registration and NPI number prescribed Alprazolam for Ms. Chaves, and that she used the prescription written by the doctor to obtain the prescribed Alprazolam at a pharmacy.” The lawyer also said the possession counts appear to come from Montana having the medication after filling that prescription.
Montana was released after posting bond, and the case is still in its early stages. As of Wednesday, there had been no further court updates.
The arrest comes during a busy stretch in Ball’s life. He and Montana welcomed their first child earlier this year, a son named LaOne, born in January.
At the end of August, Montana posted a series of Instagram photos showing life with the baby. The family has kept a relatively low profile since Ball’s move this summer.
That move sent Ball from Charlotte to Minnesota in a June trade that also included Josh Green going to the Timberwolves in exchange for Naz Reid and draft assets. Ball now heads into the upcoming season with Anthony Edwards, who has already spoken about the team’s new backcourt direction.
Ball is still preparing for the regular season, which begins in roughly three weeks. For now, the legal situation surrounding Montana remains separate from his on-court focus.
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