Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 12/04/2008

Contact person(s):

Media Coordinator, Theresa Menshek - 565-3099 Media Spokesperson, Assistant District Attorney Christine M. Cook

Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California

EX-JV SOCCER COACH ADMITS MOLEST

District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua announced that yesterday Richard Alexander Vives, of Santa Rosa, pled no contest to molesting a sixteen year old girl last year. Vives’ plea came just before a preliminary hearing was set to begin in his case. Vives, 42, faces a maximum of eight years in state prison. He will also be required to register for life as a sex offender.

DA Passalacqua said, “Plying a minor with alcohol in order to commit sexual offenses against her is a crime that will not be tolerated. We are pleased with this plea at an early stage of the proceedings, which means the victim will not have to go through the ordeal of testifying.“

On October 3, 2008, the sixteen year-old victim, who was friends with Vives’ daughter, spent the night at Vives’ home. After others went to bed, Vives poured each of them two shots of vodka, eventually pouring the victim two large mixed drinks containing vodka. The victim became highly intoxicated and during this time Vives committed the sexual acts charged.
Vives pled to the most serious felony charge of committing oral copulation on a victim who could not resist due to an intoxicating substance. Additional counts of the same charge, as well as a charge alleging sexual penetration, were dismissed in return for Vives’ plea. All the charges related to the one incident. Vives was formerly a soccer coach for Piner High School’s junior varsity girls’ team.

Vives is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Elliot Lee Daum on January 23, 2009, at 9 a.m.

Deputy District Attorney Jason Riehl was the prosecutor assigned to the case. Santa Rosa Police Detective Michael Musgrove was the lead investigator.