Portland Police Arrest 'Above the Rim Basketball League' Coach for Assault, Sex Crime

This just in from the Portland Police Bureau:

On Sunday September 23, 2012, Portland Police officers arrested 54-year-old Leslie Jerome Lewis on charges of Kidnapping in the First Degree, Assault in the Second Degree, Criminal Mistreatment in the First Degree, Using a Child in Display of Sexually Explicit Conduct, and Interfering with Making a Police Report.

Lewis was booked into the Multnomah County Jail.

At 5:41 p.m. Sunday evening, Portland Police responded to an apartment at 610 Northwest Davis Street for a welfare check after a caller reported that a subject in the building had a 14 or 15 year old boy in his room and would not let him out. Another caller reported that the child was yelling, "Help me!"

Officers arrived and a witness told police which room the noise was coming from so officers knocked on the door and it was answered by Lewis, who goes by "Jerome."

Based on the officers' observations as they made contact with Lewis, he was placed into custody and Detectives from the Multnomah County Child Abuse Team (CAT) were called to take over the investigation.

Investigators have learned that Lewis is a basketball coach for "Above the Rim Basketball League" in Portland and that the child was one of his players. Additionally, "Above the Rim Basketball League" would often utilize the basketball courts in Northeast Portland's Woodlawn Park.

The child, who is a 13-year-old male, was safely removed from the apartment and did not suffer serious injuries.

Investigators are concerned that through his coaching and/or mentoring through "Above the Rim Basketball League" in Portland, there may be additional victims associated with Lewis.

Anyone with additional information about this case or other victims is asked to contact Detective Mace Winter at 503-823-0182 or Mace.Winter@PortlandOregon.gov.