Thunder Bay boxing coach charged over historical sexual assaults

A 62-year-old boxing coach has been charged with historical sexual assaults involving the Thunder Bay boxing community.

Police announced on Thursday they've charged Jose Antonio Dasousa Pimentel with two counts of sexual assault, and one count of sexual exploitation. The charges stem from incidents that date back to 1995.

"Police believe the accused maintained a position of trust and authority over the alleged victims," Thunder Bay police Det. Sgt. Jason Rybak said. "To protect the identity of the victims who have come forward, Thunder Bay Police Service will not release any further details about these relationships."

Rybak said the investigation began in November, when information about some of the alleged incidents was brought to police. That led police to initially charge Pimentel in July with sexual assault and sexual exploitation.

That investigation led police to identify another alleged victim, and Pimentel — a former coach with the Canadian national boxing team — was charged with another count of sexual assault on Thursday.

Rybak said police believe there may be more victims who haven't yet come forward.

"I don't want to narrow the focus of our investigation," Rybak said at a media conference at Thunder Bay police headquarters on Thursday morning. "It was involving the boxing community, and so we are looking for anyone that was involved in that community back to 1995 that may have been victimized, or witnessed people being victimized."

Pimentel was scheduled to appear in bail court on Thursday.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police or Crime Stoppers.