.jpg)
9 hours ago
1
Warning: The following story deals with sexual assault, and may be triggering for some readers.
If you or someone you know is in need of support, in Canada, please call 1-866-925-4419. More resources can be found here. In America, a list of resources can be found here.
Retired NHL player Ryan Kesler is facing criminal sexual conduct charges stemming from an incident that allegedly occurred in Michigan on Jan. 1, 2025.
Court records show Kesler was arraigned Monday, Oct. 27, and pleaded not guilty to the two misdemeanor charges against him.
His bond was set at $50,000, and he has been ordered not to leave Michigan. The legal process will continue with hearings and examinations scheduled for November.
Here’s what to know about Kesler’s legal situation.
Ryan Kesler charges
Kesler has been charged with two counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual assault.
The 41-year-old's offenses are alleged to have occurred in Orchard Lake, Mich., on New Year's Day. A criminal complaint alleges 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."
The alleged incident was reported on Jan. 2, the police department said on Tuesday, Oct. 28.
Kesler's attorney, Robert Morad, offered the following statement to The Athletic:
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. 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.
What is 4th-degree criminal sexual conduct?
Michigan's penal code has a lengthy explanation for what constitutes criminal sexual conduct in the fourth degree, as several conditions fit within the charges.
The Detroit-based Davis Law Group outlines fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct as such:
Fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct in Michigan is a misdemeanor offense that involves unwanted sexual touching. In other states, it might be known as indecent liberties. The offense typically involves touching someone for sexual purposes who is a minor, someone with a mental or physical disability, a close relative, or through the use of a relationship such as teacher and student or mental health provider and patient.
When did Ryan Kesler retire?
Kesler last played in the 2018-19 NHL season.
He underwent hip surgery in 2019 and was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease months later. He missed the next three seasons and, in 2024, acknowledged he would no longer play., adding that he "would love" to officially retire as a Canuck.
English (US)