Former youth hockey coach convicted of sexual abuse of children

ST. CHARLES COUNTY, Missouri – A former Lindenwood youth hockey coach has been sentenced to 75 years in prison after admitting to sexually abusing two children from 2007 to 2018.

U.S. District Judge Sarah Pitlyk sentenced James Lambert, 42, of Lake St. Louis, to 75 years in prison. He pleaded guilty in February to two counts of production of child pornography, one count of transporting a minor across state lines to engage in criminal sexual conduct, one count of receiving child pornography and one count of aggravated sexual abuse.

Lambert sexually abused one victim more than 50 times between 2007 and 2018, when the child was between the ages of 6 and 17. Lambert sexually abused the second child when they were between the ages of 6 and 9.

Family members told Lake St. Louis police that Lambert was volunteering with the Chesterfield Falcons youth hockey club during this time.

The first victim reportedly told police she suspected Lambert of abusing a second victim after he came forward, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. Investigators later found hundreds of files on Lambert’s electronic devices documenting the abuse of the second victim, as well as at least 1,185 other files containing child sexual abuse material.

The victim also told police that Lambert took him “everywhere” to hockey games and sporting events, including Cardinals games, Blues games, Mizzou football games, hockey tournaments and practices. According to court documents, the former coach allegedly paid for the games to help his single mother.

The second victim was allegedly abused between March 2020 and September 2021, when the victim was between 6 and 7 years old, according to court documents.

According to police, in addition to his work as an assistant coach for the American Collegiate Hockey Association men’s ice hockey team for Lindenwood, Lambert also did volunteer work for a youth ice hockey club in St. Peters.