Ex-Canucks star Kesler alleged to have had 'sexual contact' with 16-year-old: report
More details have been revealed concerning charges against Ryan Kesler in his home state of Michigan.
The 41-year-old former Vancouver Canucks star was in a Bloomfield Hills courtroom on Monday, following two misdemeanour charges alleging criminal sexual conduct in the fourth degree.
The Athletic is now reporting that both counts allege that a 16-year-old was involved and that Kesler engaged in sexual contact “through force or coercion and/or (had) reason to know the victim was physically helpless.”
If found guilty, Kesler could face a maximum of two years in prison, according to Michigan state law.
Court records show that Kesler pleaded not guilty to the charges. In a statement provided to The Athletic on Monday, Kesler’s attorney called the charges “baseless.”
Kesler is listed as the lone defendant in the court case, with a probable cause conference scheduled for Nov. 6 and a preliminary examination scheduled for Nov. 13. He posted a $5,000 bond on Oct. 27 and is not allowed to leave Michigan without permission of the court.
One of the greatest players in Canucks history, Kesler played 10 years in Vancouver between 2003 and 2014. Kesler and his wife have four children together and live not far from where he grew up in Livonia, a western suburb of Detroit.
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- Ex-Canucks star Ryan Kesler charged with 'criminal sexual conduct' in Michigan