Two of the three basketball coaches charged with sex crimes allegedly abused the same victim, one following the other over a period of four years, we learned following their appearance on Thursday.
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“They used their position of authority, when [les abus] of one of the defendants ended, the other embarked, “a person familiar with the matter told the Journal.
Daniel Lacasse and Charles-Xavier Boislard, 43, as well as Robert Luu, 31, briefly appeared on Thursday, following their arrest yesterday. Dressed in their coaching attire, they remained impassive throughout the hearing.
According to the arrest warrants made public, Boislard was the first to have sexually abused a minor, while he was in a position of authority.
As early as 2008, he allegedly encouraged a teenage girl to have sexual contact, then committed it. He also allegedly exploited and sexually assaulted her for two years.
One following another
Then, when the abuse ended, it was Lacasse who would have come into the picture. Taking advantage of the vulnerability of the teenager, the coach would have engaged in sexual contact on her, also for two years. On the Saint-Laurent school website, located in the borough of the same name, Lacasse was in charge of the juvenile women’s basketball team.
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There would be images of certain attacks, so that following his arrest yesterday, the police also seized computer equipment. It is not excluded that other charges will be filed, once the analysis is completed.
Luu is charged with incitement to sexual touching, sexual interference, as well as sexual assault on another victim.
“This is a victim who lived in a disadvantaged environment,” he explained to the Journal.
These crimes allegedly occurred between 2014 and 2017.
Other wanted victims
Of the three defendants, only Boislard was released under various conditions which will prevent him from communicating with the victim and being in the presence of minors. He will also be prohibited from coming into contact with school staff.
Lacasse and Luu will remain detained, unless a judge decides otherwise.
Their problems, however, are only just beginning since the investigation is not over.
“Since many underage girls have played on the sports teams to which the three men are linked over the years, investigators have reason to believe that other young girls may have been victims of similar acts from 2005 to this day,” Montreal police said.
The police ask anyone with information to contact them, for example by going to their local police station, or by calling Info-crime.
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