Joey Chestnut was involved in an incident in March but pled guilty to a misdemeanor battery charge April 20. David Becker / Getty ImagesMay 20, 2026 4:15 pm EDTJoey Chestnut, the competitive eater best known for winning the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest 17 times, pleaded guilty to a battery misdemeanor charge and was sentenced to 180 days of probation in April, according to Hamilton County (Ind.) court records obtained by The Athletic.Chestnut, 43, pleaded guilty on April 20 to a misdemeanor battery charge resulting in bodily injury, per court records, and will serve probation until mid-October. Chestnut was granted permission to travel outside the state on April 8, allowing him to compete. Chestnut won the 2026 Ultimate Bologna Showdown in Knoxville, Tenn., for the third consecutive year by eating 16 pounds of bologna in 8 minutes, a new world record.Chestnut’s attorney, Mario Massillamany, did not respond to a request for comment.Chestnut would be permitted to defend his Nathan’s Famous title in Coney Island on July 4 and told USA Today he has “no restrictions.” Nathan’s banned him from competing in its contest in 2024 after he signed an endorsement deal with Impossible Foods, a plant-based meat company. Yet, he returned to the competition in 2025, when he won the Mustard Yellow Belt by eating 70.5 hot dogs.— Jenna West contributed to this report.