Jon Jones separated from general population in jail due to celebrity status

Jon Jones is being held away from general population for his own safety, MMA Fighting has confirmed.

The former UFC light heavyweight champion has been in custody at Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center since Tuesday morning on a probation violation charge. He is not being held with the other inmates, though, due to his celebrity, according to jail public affairs official Nataura Powdrell-Moore.

"We house high-profile inmates separately," Powdrell-Moore said. "For example, a police officer, corrections officer, judge, etc. Jon Jones is well known in Albuquerque, thus his high-profile status, and has been housed in Segregation away from general population for now."

TMZ was the first to report this development.

Jones will have his hearing in front of judge Michael Martinez at 8 a.m. Thursday morning. He will not be granted bail until then, when terms of release will be discussed.

Jones, 28, was arrested for a probation violation following his receipt of five traffic tickets Thursday night, including one for drag racing. Jones is on probation as a result of a conditional discharge in a felony hit-and-run case from April 2015.

TMZ reported that Jones has been a "model inmate" since being taken into custody.

Jones is supposed to face Daniel Cormier at UFC 197 on April 23. It's not clear whether his current situation will affect the fight.