Police in Michigan are not commenting on the case involving former NHL forward Ryan Kesler, who’s been charged with two counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct.
Court records show Kesler, 41, was arraigned via Zoom on Monday in Bloomfield Hills District Court, where he pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanour charges stemming from alleged offences on Jan. 1 in Orchard Lake, Mich. The incident was reported to police the following day.
Bond was set at $50,000 US with a 10 per cent deposit.
The Orchard Lake Police Department said in a press release Tuesday that Kesler was booked and posted bond. It released his booking photo but provided no further details.
The department denied a Freedom of Information Act request for the incident report, saying the case remains open and releasing the records could compromise the investigation.
Robert J. Morad, Kesler’s lawyer, said in a statement that Kesler “emphatically denies the allegations and is completely innocent of the charges.”
“The allegations are false, and he is prepared to fight them vigorously in court,” Morad said.
“As the case begins, we ask that you respect his privacy and that you allow the legal process to work. Just like all citizens accused of a crime, he is presumed to be innocent. We are confident that when all of the facts and circumstances are presented that he will be fully exonerated.”
Kesler must attend a probable-cause conference Nov. 6 and a preliminary examination Nov. 13.
The Livonia, Mich., native played for the Vancouver Canucks from 2003 to 2014 before being traded to the Anaheim Ducks, where he played until his retirement in 2019.
He was also a member of the United States Olympic teams in 2010 and 2014 and won the Frank J. Selke Trophy in 2011 as the NHL’s top defensive forward and was part of Vancouver’s run to the Stanley Cup final that year.
