Real Salt Lake homegrown player Ricardo Velazco was booked Friday on charges of unlawful sexual activity with a minor.
He posted the $15,000 bail and was released later in the day, according to his attorney, Greg Skordas. No court date had been set as of Friday evening.
Velazco, 24, was charged Thursday with the third-degree felony. According to the charging papers, he had sex with a 15-year-old girl May 20. He was 23 at the time. The teenager since has turned 16. The police do not have evidence to suggest the alleged sexual activity was forced.
Law enforcement became aware of the alleged crime when the teenager’s friends reported it, said Blake Nakamura, chief deputy of the Salt Lake County district attorney’s office.
The charges were based on an investigation that included a statement given by the teenager. Skordas said Velazco was contacted early on by the police and also gave a statement.
“It is not a defense to this crime that a minor lies about her age,” Skordas said.
He declined to confirm or deny if that had happened in this case.
Real Salt Lake put out a statement Wednesday saying the team would cooperate with local authorities and MLS’ separate investigation but would wait until the conclusion of judicial proceedings to take any action beyond the league‘s suspension of Velazco.
The team has declined to comment further before the conclusion of the case.