Former USA Softball president accused of sexually abusing girl in California

The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday announced the April 14 arrest of the former president of USA Softball who is accused of sexually abusing a girl over six years.

John Gouveia, 61, of Castro Valley was arrested on suspicion of committing lewd and lascivious acts with a child younger than 14 years old in Sacramento County, according to a Sheriff’s Office news release.

Gouveia on April 14 was booked at the Alameda County Jail on an arrest warrant with $250,000 bail, sheriff’s officials said. Gouveia posted bail and was released from the jail that same day.

The Sheriff’s Office announced his arrest on Tuesday as investigators sought information from the public that is relevant to the ongoing criminal investigation in Sacramento County.

Gouveia worked for the national governing council for Team USA Softball from 1991 through 2019. Sheriff’s officials said his work included extensive travel nationally and internationally as Commissioner of USA Softball of Northern California and the President of USA Softball.

He also worked with the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District for 40 years until he retired as its general manager in January 2016.

Sheriff’s officials said the victim in the allegations that led to Gouveia’s arrest was not associated with USA Softball or the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District, and investigators were not implicating those organizations. The Sheriff’s Office did not release any further details about the alleged crimes.

The Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office filed a criminal complaint on April 18, the same day Gouveia was arraigned in Sacramento Superior Court. He is scheduled to return to court for a hearing Aug. 11, according to court records.

Gouveia has been charged with eight counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a child younger than 14. Prosecutors allege Gouveia sexually abused the girl from Sept. 19, 2015, through Nov. 13, 2021, when she was 7 to 13 years old, according to the criminal complaint.

Investigators asked anyone with information relevant to this child sex abuse investigation to call the Sheriff’s Office Child Abuse Bureau at 916-874-5191 or Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers at 916-443-4357.