Former Dallas Stars player Mike Ribeiro pleaded guilty on Monday to indecent assault after groping a woman in 2021.
The hockey star was first accused of sexually assaulting two women and attempting to assault a third on a boat at Lake Cypress, nearly 100 miles east of Dallas.
In February, Ribeiro stood trial and was acquitted of two counts of sexual assault after the women accused him of raping, groping and attacking them.
State District Judge Eddie Northcutt declared a mistrial over the third charge of attempted sexual assault after jurors could not reach a verdict after 12 hours of deliberation.
The woman who said Ribeiro attempted to assault her reported that she was driving a WaveRunner personal watercraft with Ribeiro when he put his hand under her life vest and bikini top. She elbowed him away and told him not to touch her. Shortly after, he put his hand on her leg, up her swimsuit, and groped her.
Before Ribeiro’s second trial was set to begin Monday, he accepted a guilty plea deal, admitting to touching the woman’s breast and genitals without her consent.
The former athlete was convicted of indecent assault and given credit for the day he spent in jail. He was ordered to pay a $4,000 fine plus court costs.
“The young lady in this case was, once again, ready to place herself on the altar of truth for the sake of justice. However, in the end, to hear Mr. Ribeiro finally admit under oath that he violated her without her consent for his own sexual desire meant more than the possibility of hearing a future verdict read by the Judge,” 8th Judicial District Attorney Will Ramsay said in a statement obtained by Fox 4 News.
The woman delivered her victim impact statement in court Monday and told Ribeiro, “Forgiveness is not a feeling; it’s a choice. Although I have forgiven you, I can only pray the others affected will choose to do the same, not for you, but for themselves.”
This is not the first time Ribeiro faced accusations of sexual assault. In 2015, Ribeiro’s former nanny said that she was sleeping in the basement with two of his children when he assaulted her. She was 18 at the time.
The woman also reported additional incidents when Ribeiro brushed up against her, making her feel uncomfortable while working with his family.
Ribeiro played for the Dallas Stars from 2006 to 2012.
