Court denies motion to modify $10K bail for soccer ref accused of sexual assault



WAUKESHA -- 26-year-old Cristian Sanchez -- a soccer referee accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl in Waukesha was in court Thursday, February 9th for a hearing.

The court denied a motion to modify Sanchez's bail, and a preliminary hearing was set for February 17th.

Cristian Sanchez



Sanchez, who admitted he's been twice deported to Mexico, is facing the following charges:


    According to a criminal complaint, on Sunday, January 29th, Waukesha police responded to the Schuetze Building on Baxter Street near the Fox River where they spoke with a 17-year-old girl. That girl said she and her 15-year-old sister were at the Schuetze Building for a soccer game when her younger sister said she was going to head out to the family's van to get a bag of chips. The 17-year-old said she became concerned when her sister did not return. The 17-year-old and her parents set out to look for the girl.

    The 15-year-old was located in the parking lot with an "unknown Hispanic male," who "walked quickly to his car and drove off," the complaint said.

    Schuetze Building



    The 15-year-old girl was interviewed by police and said the Hispanic man was a "Miguel Garcia," who she knew as a referee for soccer games at the Schuetze Building. According to the complaint, the girl said she knew the man for four months, and that he had "repeatedly asked for her phone number," which she eventually gave to him.

    The girl said she and the man would talk through an app on her phone. According to the complaint, the girl said he would send her messages indicating that he "loved her," and even showed up at her school with flowers in January. At that time, she said they sat in his vehicle and he "tried to kiss her."

    On January 29th, the complaint says the girl told investigators the man called to her in the parking lot, and asked her to walk with him towards his vehicle. As they walked along the Fox River, the girl told police Cristian Sanchez opened his jacket and said it was cold, suggesting she should pull closer to him for warmth. The girl said Sanchez then touched her inappropriately.

    Fox River in Waukesha



    As they walked to Sanchez's vehicle, he "became frightened" when people out looking for the girl called her name, and he scrambled to his vehicle and drove off.

    On February 5th, investigators responded to the Milwaukee County Sports Complex near 60th and Ryan Road in Franklin, where they found Sanchez refereeing soccer games. The complaint says Sanchez told investigators he could be identified with his Mexican Consular ID -- an ID with the name Gustavo Sanchez.

    When investigators conducted a more thorough background examination of Sanchez, they learned his true identity, and that he had an outstanding warrant from Milwaukee County in a case from 2014, and that he had twice been deported to Mexico.

    Sanchez was interviewed by police, and the complaint says he admitted to providing a false name and passport to investigators. He also admitted he'd been deported twice before, and admitted to maintaining a "loose relationship" with the 15-year-old girl -- texting her, attempting to kiss her and touching her inappropriately.

    Sanchez made his initial appearance in court in this case on February 7th. Cash bond was set at $10,000.

    Officials with the City of Waukesha Parks Recreation and Forestry Department released the following statement:

    The City of Waukesha Parks Recreation and Forestry Department routinely rents its buildings to outside individuals and organizations. Recently, an individual was arrested for suspicion of sexual assault which is reported to have occurred in the parking lot at the Schuetze Recreation Center on February 5th, 2017.

    The facility was rented to the Christian Soccer League, LLC for the use of the gym for an adult soccer league. The League completed the appropriate application on December 1st, 2016 and was granted a permit for the use of the facility on Sundays from January 1st, 2017 through April 23rd, 2017. During use by outside groups, all City of Waukesha buildings are monitored by an attendant, employed by the City. The attendant was not a witness to any inappropriate behavior.

    The organizers and individuals involved with the Christian Soccer League, LLC., are not affiliated with the City of Waukesha, nor are they City employees or City volunteers.  All City of Waukesha volunteer instructors and employees are subject to an extensive criminal background check prior to their work with the City.

    The Christian Soccer League’s permit has been temporarily suspended and is under review.

    The City’s Park, Recreation and Forestry Department has been fully cooperating with the Waukesha Police Department’s investigation of the incident. We are saddened that such an incident has been reported on City property and we are hopeful that justice will be served.