Former NHLer Mike Ribeiro facing 50 years in prison.

Former National Hockey League player Mike Ribeiro is facing up to 50 years in prison.

The former NHL player stands accused of sexually assaulting two women and attempting to sexually assault a third and faces up to 50 years in prison if convicted on all counts. 

The assaults are alleged to have taken place on Lake Cypress Springs on June 23, 2021 and on Thursday the third woman accusing of Ribeiro of sexual assault took the stand to testify in the case. Ribeiro is accused of assaulting one woman on his boat, while the other two assaults are alleged to have taken place while Ribeiro was alone on a Waverunner jetski at different times with the two individual women.

Ribeiro has maintained his innocence and has opted for a jury trial, while his defense attorney's have raised questions about the ulterior motives of the alleged victims as well as questions about whether or not the investigation of this case was properly handled by law enforcement.

The trial is expected to last two weeks.

Ribeiro has previously been accused of sexual assault in the past, a former nanny accused the NHL player of sexual assault back in 2015 with those allegations eventually resulting in a settlement between the involved parties.