A Florida youth basketball coach, Carl Lombardo, 58, has been accused of sexually abusing several children during a sleepover at his residence. Lombardo, who was a coach at the Ocala Boys and Girls Club, allegedly refused to return a 15-year-old boy to his parents, according to local news outlet WCJB-TV News.
The allegations further state that Lombardo filmed the boy writing a note to his parents, expressing his desire to stay at the coach’s house. Authorities believe the boy was coerced into writing this note. Lombardo reportedly even proposed to purchase the children from their parents for $5,000, asserting that his impeccable reputation and association with local schools would protect him from any legal repercussions.
However, when officers from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office intervened and returned the children to their homes on August 31, the children reportedly disclosed that Lombardo had touched them inappropriately and taken explicit photographs. This led the department to initiate an investigation.
During the investigation, authorities discovered explicit images of children on Lombardo’s mobile phone. Subsequently, Lombardo was charged with nine counts, including possession of child pornography, molestation of children under 16 years old, and human trafficking, as per online records.
Residents in Lombardo’s neighborhood expressed their suspicions about his behavior. Vanessa Velez, a neighbor, told WCJB that her husband had always found Lombardo unsettling. Lombardo is currently being held without bail.