Soccer Players Sought For Sex Assaults
It’s alleged that Lucas Domingues Piazon, 21, and Andrey DeSilva Ventura, 22, sexually assaulted a 20-year old Toronto woman at her home on June 26.
At a press conference at police headquarters on October 29, Inspector Joanna Beavens-Desjardins said the victim and a friend were at a Toronto nightspot where they met the suspects.
“They socialized with the victim and accompanied the two women to a Toronto residence,” she said. “The victim, once she arrived at home, went to sleep. They entered her bedroom and sexually assaulted her. She awoke and both of them left the residence.”
The accused, who entered Canada on July 7 for the Games, returned to Brazil with their team on July 27, the same day the victim contacted police.
“We encourage all affected individuals to come forward and report to police as we want to make sure everyone receives the support services that they may need, regardless of their decision to report and proceed criminally,” said Beaven-Desjardins.
Ventura, who plays for a Brazilian soccer club, is wanted on a Canada-wide warrant while a provincial warrant has been issued for Piazon, who is playing professionally in England.
“The Crown determines the warrants,” said Beaven-Desjardins. “They look at cases and make a decision based on what is before them… In the case of Mr. Piazon, we can’t go through the extradition process. But when he does come to Ontario, he’s ‘arrestable’.”
Canada does not have an extradition treaty with Brazil.
“Because of that, we will have to go through the extradition process regarding Mr. Ventura,” Beaven-Desjardins pointed out. “We will be working with law enforcement across the world so that when he does travel, we will be notified of his movements.”
A sexual assault is any form of unwanted sexual contact. It includes, but is not limited to, kissing, grabbing, oral sex and penetration. To learn more about sexual assault, including how to report a sexual assault, please visit our Sex Crimes webpage.
Beaven-Desjardins is appealing to anyone who has information regarding the alleged occurrence or alleged suspects to contact the Sex Crimes Unit at (416) 808-7474; Crime Stoppers at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at 222tips.com, text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637). Download the free Crime Stoppers Mobile App on iTunes, Google Play or Blackberry App World.
Last July, Toronto Police issued an arrest warrant for Brazilian water polo player Thye Mattos Ventura Bezerra, 27 who was in Toronto to participate in the Pan Am Games. It’s alleged that he sexually assaulted a 22-year-old Toronto woman on July 16.
According to police, Bezerra was in the home of the victim with another member of the water polo team. Along with the two men, a friend of the victim was present.
The victim went to sleep in her bedroom alone and was then allegedly sexually assaulted.
