Pro tennis player charged in Bradenton with trying to have sex with girl, 13

MANATEE — A professional tennis player has been charged with trying to meet and have sex with a 13-year-old girl, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

The girl and Pierre-Ludovic Duclos-Lasnier, 27, met on Feb. 9 or 10 at the public tennis courts near Jessie P. Miller Elementary School. Duclos-Lasnier was coaching a male and passed his business card along to the girl who was accompanied by an adult, according to the sheriff’s office.

A few days later, the two began text messaging and the conversation turned sexual. The mother gave the victim’s phone to detectives afterhe sent a photograph of his penis, according to the sheriff's report.

A detective assumed the identity of the victim and began chatting with Duclos-Lasnier on the victim’s cell phone, according to the sheriff’soffice.

Duclos-Lasnier continued to solicit for sex and sent an additional picture of his penis to whom he thought was the girl. He also offered to meet the girl and take her to his residence in the 1900 block of 25th Avenue West to have sex, according to a news release.

About 9:05 p.m. Thursday, he responded to the meeting point at Starbucks, 5783 Manatee Ave. W., and was arrested.

According to ATP.com, Duclos-Lasnier turned pro in 2007 and is ranked 610th among male tennis players. He is a native of a Quebec.

Duclos-Lasnier faces charges of use of a computer to solicit a child to commit sex acts, traveling to solicit a child to commit sex acts, two counts of transmission of harmful material to a minor and attempted lewd and lascivious battery, according to the sheriff’s office.

Duclos-Lasnier “made a full confession” after being read his Miranda rights, according to his arrest report.

He was being held without bond at the Manatee County jail.

This story was originally published February 22, 2013 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Pro tennis player charged in Bradenton with trying to have sex with girl, 13."