3 former UBC football players arrested and charged after sexual assault allegations
Three former UBC Thunderbirds football players have been arrested and charged with sexual assault in relation to an alleged incident at a residence located on UBC’s main Vancouver campus in 2018.
RCMP say they received a call from a woman in the early hours of a fall morning.
“Just before 4:30 a.m. on November 5, 2018 University RCMP received a 911 call from a woman who reported she had been sexually assaulted by three men, at the residence in Vancouver on Acadia Road,” reads a news statement from B.C. RCMP Sgt. Janelle Shoihet.
The men, Treymont Levy, 26, Trivel Pinto, 25, and Ben Cummings, 24, have each been charged with one count each of sexual assault, and Levy has also been charged with one count of voyeurism, say police.
The men are all former UBC Thunderbirds football players, with Levy having played as recently as 2016 and Pinto and Cummings as recently as 2018.
“The three men have been arrested and remain in police custody at this time. They are expected to appear in a Richmond Provincial court at a later date,” Shoihet said.
A 2016 article in the UBC student newspaper quoted a Thunderbirds football player by the name of "Tremont Levy" in a story about him and his team’s volunteering for the campus’ Safewalk program.
According to court documents, Levy was also arrested on Nov. 24, 2016 for drug possession with intent to traffic, and in May 2019 was “ordered to stand trial” for the charge.
Pinto was signed to the Calgary Stampeders in January 2021, and is listed on the team’s online roster.
A LinkedIn profile for a former UBC Thunderbirds football player named Ben Cummings includes information on his volunteer work. According to his profile, he has held the position of “coach” for “UBC Football Youth Camps” from June 2014 to present day, and also volunteered with the university's Safewalk program.
Charges have been approved by BC Prosecution Service but the allegations have not been proven in court.
In a statement, UBC’s Ainsley Carr, vice president of students, said the school has known of the sexual assault allegations.
“What I can say is the university has been in contact with the RCMP since the allegations were made.”
According to player stats online, none of the men played for the Thunderbirds after the date of the alleged incident.
“Sexual violence has no place here at UBC and I can tell you those accused are no longer students at the university,” continued Carr’s statement.
Carr did not comment on Levy’s drug charge, the arrest for which took place during the third of his three seasons on the team. Online player stats suggest that Levy did not play any games after that first arrest in Nov. 2016.
Carr also did not comment on whether Cummings has been a volunteer coach for the university’s youth football program.
According to Carr, all UBC student athletes must sign on to the Varsity Code of Conduct, which is “unequivocal.” She also said that she is “shocked and saddened” by the allegations.
“UBC Athletics has prioritized general education within the student population around consent,” she said.
“This includes all athletes attending mandatory educational sessions with the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office.”
Carr did not specify the year that the training became mandatory.
Correction
June 5: This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Treymont Levy’s first name, which was initially spelled incorrectly as Tremont in the RCMP’s news statement.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Trump hush money trial: Play-by-play on Day 2 of Stormy Daniels testimony
Adult film star Stormy Daniels took the stand for a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump's hush money case continues in Manhattan.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.
Cyclist strikes child crossing the street to catch school bus in Montreal
A video circulating on social media of a young girl being hit by a bike has some calling for better safety and more caution when designing bike lanes in the city. The video shows a four-year-old girl crossing Jeanne-Mance Street in Montreal's Plateau neighbourhood to get on a school bus stopped on the opposite side of the street
B.C. wildfires likely to spread with weekend temperatures expected to soar, province says
Wildfire and emergency management officials in British Columbia are urging residents to be prepared for increased fire activity as temperatures are expected to soar above 30 C in parts of the province this weekend.
Wilfrid Laurier football player drafted despite only playing 27 games in his entire life
A Listowel, Ont. man, drafted by the Hamilton Tigercats last week, is also getting looks from the NFL, despite only playing 27 games of football in his life.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.