Jerome Messam, pictured during his second stint with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2018. (980 CJME file photo)

By CJME News

Voyeurism charge filed against former Riders running back Messam

Aug 11, 2023 | 5:17 PM

Former Saskatchewan Roughriders running back Jerome Messam is facing a charge of voyeurism in Regina — the same offence that ended his CFL career in 2018.

According to court documents, the 38-year-old product of Brampton, Ont., has been charged in connection with an alleged incident dating back to Nov. 1, 2014, in Regina. He was a member of the Roughriders at the time.

The Criminal Code states that a voyeurism charge can be filed when someone “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 … if the recording is done for a sexual purpose.”

The documents say the case is to return to Regina Provincial Court on Aug. 24. The allegations haven’t been proven in court.

Messam had CFL stints with the B.C. Lions, Edmonton Elks and Montreal Alouettes before he joined the Roughriders for the 2014 season. He spent that season and much of the following campaign with Saskatchewan before being traded to the Calgary Stampeders in October of 2015.

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After playing with Calgary through the 2017 season, Messam returned to the Roughriders in 2018. But he was released in July of that year after he was charged with voyeurism in connection with an incident that occurred in Calgary in November of 2016.

At the time, Calgary police confirmed to 980 CJME that the charge related to an allegation that a sexual encounter with an adult had been recorded without the victim’s knowledge. Police also said the video was never posted anywhere publicly.

After the charges were announced and after Saskatchewan released Messam, CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie told all of the league’s teams the CFL wouldn’t register a contract for Messam if any team tried to sign him.

Messam pleaded guilty to the voyeurism charge in Calgary in December of 2021. Last December, he was handed a suspended sentence and 18 months probation in Calgary’s Court of King’s Bench.

During his CFL career, Messam twice was named the league’s most outstanding Canadian.