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Streamwood soccer coach charged with abusing adult female players

A Streamwood soccer coach was ordered held on a total bail of $500,000 Friday on charges he sexually abused two adult female soccer players multiple times over the last few years.

Ruben Betancourth, 55, who authorities say coaches a juvenile club team and a women's recreational team, was charged with two counts of criminal sexual assault, a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

"There's no indication that any of the victims so far were members of the juvenile club team," said Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Ryan DeGroot.

Prosecutors say Betancourth abused the women, ages 23 and 29, under the guise of treating soccer-related injuries.

The 23-year-old woman went to Betancourth's Streamwood residence in December 2017 for treatment, according to DeGroot.

He said Betancourth represented himself as a retired emergency medical technician and offered to treat female players for free.

Betancourth, now of the 800 block of Tipperary Street in Gilberts, had the woman remove her clothes and then sexually assaulted her, DeGroot said. In March 2018, the woman told a teammate, who said she'd had a similar experience. Last month, the 23-year-old encountered Betancourth at a sports complex in Elgin where he had rented space, DeGroot said. Betancourth abused her again under the guise of treatment, at one point placing athletic tape over the office door indicating it was for her privacy, DeGroot said.

Afterward, "the defendant made the victim pinkie promise that she would not tell anyone what he had done," DeGroot said.

The 29-year-old woman said she began seeing Betancourth for an ankle sprain in late 2016. According to DeGroot, Betancourth assaulted her three times at his home and the sports complex.

Judge Marc Martin ordered Betancourth have "no contact with sports endeavors" with the women or with the Elgin sports facility. Martin also ruled Betancourth must be placed on electronic monitoring if he posts bond.

His next court date is Jan. 2.

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