In late October, NHL insider Katie Strang uncovered the fact that former NHLer Ryan Kesler has been charged and arraigned on two counts of criminal sexual conduct in the fourth degree.
Kesler pleaded ‘Not Guilty’ in Michigan court on October 25th, stemming from allegations on January 1st, 2025.
Today, Strang reports that the records confirm that both counts allege that Kesler engaged in sexual contact with a 16-year-old child “through force or coercion and/or (had) reason to know the victim was physically helpless.”
Yuck…
Again, it’s important to note that these are only allegations and that Kesler himself has “vehemently denied” the allegations.
Today, we learned that the case is heading to court and that the alleged victim is a now 17 year old (16 at the time of the alleged offense) female friend of Kelser’s own daughter.
Double yuck…
After hearing from the accuser today, a Judge deemed the case worthy of heading to trial.
According to the criminal complaint, both counts allege that Kesler engaged in sexual contact with a 16-year-old child “through force or coercion and/or (had) reason to know the victim was physically helpless.
During more than two hours on the stand, she told the court that, after falling asleep on a couch next to Kesler in the hours following a New Year’s Eve party at his home, she awoke to find his foot rubbing her crotch and her foot touching his erect penis over a pair of shorts.
“Ryan emphatically denies the allegations and is completely innocent of the charges. The charges are baseless and he is prepared to fight them vigorously in court,” his attorney Robert Morad told The Athletic on Oct. 27. “As the legal process begins, we ask for respect for his privacy and for the integrity of the judicial system. We are confident, when all the facts and circumstances are presented, that he will be fully exonerated.”
