Ex-soccer coach denies charges

In court Thursday for the first time since his arrest on charges of inappropriate sexual conduct with a 16-year-old girl, a former Santa Rosa youth soccer coach on Thursday denied the allegations.

Richard A. Vives, 42, answered "correct" when his attorney asked if his pleas were not guilty to the seven felonies and one misdemeanor charge.

Earlier this month, Vives posted $30,000 bail for his release from Sonoma County Jail. Subsequently, prosecutors added additional, more serious charges that could have meant a higher bail and a return to custody.

In court Thursday, Vives' attorney, Kristine Burk, asked visiting Judge Julie Conger to allow Vives to remain free with certain restrictions in lieu of increasing bail. Prosecutor Jason Riehl said he didn't object, as long as Vives would be required to submit to supervision by the probation department.

In addition to the standard probation conditions, which include obeying all laws and allowing police searches, Vives was ordered to comply with one additional restriction: that no underage child be at the Vives home when he is present.

The order doesn't include his own children, Burk said.

A preliminary hearing was set for Dec. 1. At that hearing, prosecutors will present evidence they believe will show Vives plied a teenage girl with alcohol and participated in sexual acts with her.

Conviction on the charges could mean significant time in custody for Vives. The maximum term for each of the three charges that include the allegation that the girl was unable to resist is eight years in prison. A sexual battery charge carries a maximum of four years, and four others carry one-year terms.

Burk said the intoxication charges are legally considered similar to rape because Vives is accused of eliminating the victim's ability to resist.

"It is considered similar to a date-rape with Rohypnol (the so-called date-rape drug) or with a passed-out person," she said. "The level of intoxication that's required for those crimes is severe. I believe the facts won't reflect that."

Also Thursday, the judge signed a criminal protective order against Vives prohibiting him from contacting the teenager. The request is a common procedure meant to protect alleged crime victims, and Vives' attorney didn't object to the order.

Vives is accused of inappropriate sexual conduct with a 16-year-old girl, who sources say was a friend of his daughter and not a soccer player. The charges include allegations of penetration and oral copulation when the girl was intoxicated or incapable of resisting.

The misdemeanor charge accuses him of contributing to the delinquency of a minor for allegedly providing alcohol to the girl.

For a short time, Vives was a soccer coach for Piner High School's junior varsity girls' team. He was also a longtime board member and coach for the Northwest Oaks Youth Soccer Club and served as referee coordinator for the Santa Rosa United Soccer club.

You can reach Staff Writer L.A. Carter at 568-5312 or lori.carter@pressdemocrat.com.