From Syracuse.com:The women's soccer coach at Le Moyne College has been arrested by Baldwinsville police, accused of sending sexually explicit cell phone messages to a 16-year-old girl who was a former player in a youth soccer club.
James A. Riverso, 28, has been charged with 11 counts of endangering the welfare of a child and eleven counts of disseminating indecent material to a minor.The charges stem from a complaint from the girl Riverso allegedly sent numerous cell phone messages to when she was 16 years old, beginning in July of 2008. The girl, whose name was withheld by Baldwinsville police, is now 17.
"We are aware of the alleged incident and the College is cooperating fully with law enforcement on the investigation,'' said Joe Della Posta, Le Moyne College spokesman.
Riverso has been placed on paid administrative leave, Della Posta said.
Riverso, a former standout men's player at Le Moyne, had been a coach with the Syracuse Girls Football Club, a youth soccer organization. The victim had been a former player.
Riverso, who lives at 366 Craigie St., DeWitt, was arraigned and released on his own recognizance. He was issued an appearance ticket and scheduled to appear in Baldwinsville Village Court on June 10.
Riverso graduated from Le Moyne in 2002 with a degree in Sociology. He received his Masters Degree in Education from Le Moyne in 2005.
He was an assistant women's coach at Le Moyne from 2003 to 2005. Riverso became the head women's coach in 2006.
His Le Moyne teams have been honored for the last three seasons with the Northeast-10 Conference Sportsmanship Award.
Riverso spent the last five years as a staff coach with the Syracuse Football Club. He also served as the head coach for the Bishop Ludden modified boy's team in 2002.
It is such a shame that the media spin on this story will cause people to doubt Jimmy Riverso when there is a very distinct possibility that he is innocent. After reading the story and hearing from many people in the soccer community, it appears that the young lady may not have made the roster this year on the youth team, and was possibly passed up as a college recruit as well. Why else would the family wait so long - ie: the girl was 16 at the time of the messages, but now 17; ie: 11 text messages later, to report the allegged incident(s)?! Sounds like a soccer family with an ax to grind. If he did it, that's one thing, but if he didn't - and he really may not have - then his career and character are still tarnished. Very unfair for such a well-respected individual both inside and outside the soccer community. Players, past and present, have the utmost respect for Mr. Riverso. He will certainly have hundreds if not thousands of character witnesses ready and willing to speak on his behalf. I would feel comfortable with him coaching my 14 year old daughter. I believe he may have been a victim of "text spoofing". Teenagers all do it all the time as a prank, or in this case, could've done it to smear someone's good name. Simply go online, send a message to yourself, choosing the name or number you wish to appear as the message-sender, and voila. Something to think about.
ReplyDeleteI agree SoccerMom, I certainly can't understand why a 16 year old young lady might be apprehensive or afraid to come forward with something like this. [read: sarcasm] The young lady in question was probably afraid of the very thing you have just posted; ie: everyone rallying around this pedophile in blind support and IGNORANCE.
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