Youth Hockey Coach Charged With Sex Assault
DRACUT (CBS) – A youth hockey coach has been charged with sexual assault on a player on his team. Allen Pereira, 59, of Woburn, was a coach for a private youth hockey organization in Dracut when the alleged assaults took place.
Policed said Pereira "is alleged to have inappropriately touched the victim and allegedly tried to coerce the victim into touching him and performing sexual acts on him."
The incidents occurred over the course of several years starting when the victim was 14 years old and a player on a team coached by Pereira.
The owner of Breakaway Hockey Dek & Sports in Dracut said Pereira worked at the pro shop and coached a travel street hockey team that played at the complex.
"We were made aware of the allegations and we took them very seriously," said Casey Corcoran, the owner of Breakaway Sports. "We took quick, corrective action."
Pereira will be arraigned on three counts of sexual assault Tuesday at Lowell District Court.
The investigation started because the victim came forward. "The victim came to us looking to tell his story," Police Chief Peter Bartlett said. "And with the evidence that we gleaned from that, we were able to sustain charges enough to charge Mr. Pereira with the three felony counts."
Pereira's neighbor, tenant and good friend in Woburn, who didn't want to show her face, said she doesn't believe the accusations.
"I started shaking because I couldn't believe it," the woman said. "He's never done anything wrong, anything to anybody on this street. Matter of fact he's well known everybody likes him. What I saw on the news I can't believe it and I still don't believe it."
Police say the investigation is ongoing.
