Pro Bull Riders tour star to face Sacramento County judge on rape and other charges
A top-ranked professional bull rider accused of rape and held in lieu of $2 million bail in a Sacramento jail was expected to face a judge Thursday on the charges.
Joao Ricardo Vieira, 38, has been held in Sacramento County custody since Aug. 4 on a felony warrant, suspected of felony rape, forced oral copulation and penetration by a foreign object, according to sheriff’s jail records.
Vieira was scheduled to appear Thursday morning in Sacramento Superior Court.
The 38-year-old Vieira, from Brazil, competes on the Professional Bull Riders tour.
Details about the allegations were not available, but Sacramento police sent their initial reports to Sacramento County prosecutors, District Attorney’s officials said Thursday. Vieira competed at the PBR Wrangler Long Live Cowboys Classic in Sacramento in January.
Vieira was ranked No. 3 on the Professional Bull Riders tour.
Tour officials on Tuesday announced via social media that he had been suspended from competition for violating tour rules.
“We are aware of a legal matter involving Joao Ricardo Vieira that is a violation of PBR rules,” officials said on the tour’s Facebook page. “In light of this situation, Vieira has been suspended from all PBR competition until further notice.”
This story was originally published August 11, 2022 at 8:31 AM.
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