Riders release Canadian RB Jerome Messam after voyeurism charge from 2016 incident

The Saskatchewan Roughriders have released national running back Jerome Messam.

We have released running back Jerome Messam after he has been criminally charged following an incident in November, 2016.

As this is now a legal matter, the Roughriders will not be commenting further.

— Saskatchewan Roughriders (@sskroughriders) July 30, 2018

The Tweet was deleted, but the same exact Tweet returned minutes later on the team’s official Twitter account.

We have released running back Jerome Messam after he has been criminally charged following an incident in November, 2016.

As this is now a legal matter, the Roughriders will not be commenting further.

— Saskatchewan Roughriders (@sskroughriders) July 30, 2018

The CFL issued a statement about the pending charge.

“The Canadian Football League is aware that Jerome Messam has been charged with Voyeurism, a Criminal Code offence. He has been released by the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Commissioner Randy Ambrosie has informed all member clubs that the league will not register a contract for Messam should any team attempt to sign him. We will have no further comment on this matter as it is before the courts.”

Under the Criminal Code, voyeurism is when someone “surreptitiously, observes – including by mechanical or electronic means – or makes a visual recording of a person who is in circumstances that give rise to a reasonable expectation of privacy.”

The Criminal Code also covers distributing recordings from such offences. Punishment is up to five years in prison.

Messam was a Calgary Stampeder in 2016 and a Calgary Police spokeswoman said the charge “relates to the alleged video-taping of a consensual sexual encounter with a victim.

#CalStampeders did not know or have any knowledge about alleged 2016 incident involving RB Jerome Messam that led to voyeurism charge https://t.co/8zDAwxuoqi #Calgary #Saskatchewan #YQR #Riders #CFL pic.twitter.com/kPX9KvusaI

— Justin Dunk (@JDunk12) July 30, 2018

“It is alleged the video-taping was done without the person’s consent.”

The adult complainant came to police in April 2018 after being told Messam had the alleged tape, which police said had not been posted anywhere.

FWIW, I asked Chris Jones when the Riders found out about the situation with Messam and he declined to comment.

— Arielle Zerr 🌾 (@arielle_zerr) July 30, 2018

He was charged on Sunday, police said.

1/2… From Jerome Messam: “hope that very soon I will be found not guilty of this accusation and that I will be able to continue my playing career. I appreciate all of the people that have stood my me and are supporting me right now…” #Riders #Stampeders @CFLonTSN

— Farhan Lalji (@FarhanLaljiTSN) July 30, 2018

2/2… More Messam, “To the fans, I hope that you will remember how hard I worked on the field & the difference I tried to make in my community in every city Ive played in.” Obviously he can’t comment on the charges. His lawyers are in communication with #cfl & #cflpa @CFLonTSN

— Farhan Lalji (@FarhanLaljiTSN) July 30, 2018

Messam was signed as a free agent by the Riders in February. The 33-year-old rushed 52 times for 205 yards and caught six passes for 25 yards in six games for Saskatchewan in 2018.

Messam had a career-best campaign in 2016 when the alleged incident happened, rushing for 1,198 yards and 11 touchdowns while catching 54 balls for 485 yards and one TD, all of those numbers are single-season highs. That year he earned the CFL’s Most Oustanding Canadian award.

Over his eight-year CFL career, Messam has rushed for 5,484 yards and 34 touchdowns while adding 1,997 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 219 receptions.

-with CP files