Marion County authorities arrested a former Boys and Girls Club coach after deputies say he molested children at his house for multiple days.
Carl Phillip Lombardo, 58, previously worked as a basketball coach and used his former position to gain access to children, according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. The CEO of the Marion County Boys and Girls Club, April Savarese, did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment.
Lombardo regularly had children at his house for sleepovers, where he molested, inappropriately photographed children and exposed himself to two children, according to the sheriff’s office. It announced details of Lombardo’s arrest Thursday afternoon.
The sheriff’s office, citing what it described as Lombardo’s “obvious predatory nature using elements of isolation and control,” urged other parents whose children may have been victimized to contact detectives.
In one instance, a 15-year-old’s parent asked Lombardo about their child. Lombardo sent a video of the teen pretending to write a note to his parents asking to stay at Lombardo’s later. However, Lombardo forced the kid to make the video, deputies said.
The teen’s parents told authorities Lombardo said he wasn’t worried about law enforcement because he works with schools and “his reputation is spotless.”
After the child was returned, deputies found child pornography on Lombardo’s two cell phones, deputies said.
Lombardo told deputies he was trying to “save” the children from abuse, and said he offered the parents $5,000 each to keep their children.
Deputies arrested Lombardo on Wednesday and took him to Marion County Jail, where he was held without bail.
Lombardo is facing felony charges of possessing child pornography, promoting the sexual performance of a child, human trafficking for sexual activity, interfering with custody, molesting a child under 12 and lewd and lascivious behavior, according to court records.
