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The Kosciusko County Prosecutor's Office has decided to press charges for incidents in two more cases against a Mentone man accused of child molesting.
Anthony James DeMarco, 25, of 205 S. Oak St., Mentone, was arrested March 11 for one charge of child molesting, a Class A felony. In that charge, DeMarco is accused of molesting a 13-year-old boy in fall 2004.
Thursday afternoon, two additional warrants for Class A felony child molesting were served to DeMarco at the Kosciusko County Jail.
Both additional charges filed Thursday come from DeMarco's alleged involvement with two boys under 14 years of age.
According to the affidavit of probable cause filed in one case, DeMarco allegedly initiated a sexual act with a minor on one occasion and bought alcohol for the boy on another occasion. These incidents reportedly took place during the 2000-01 school year.
The affidavit of probable cause in the other case says DeMarco allegedly met the boy the the Kosciusko Community YMCA. Through the course of his relationship with the boy, DeMarco reportedly touched the boy in a sexual way and initiated sexual contact with the boy in February 2004.
DeMarco was being held in the Kosciusko County Jail on $100,000 surety bond for the first charge. Each additional charge added $75,000, making DeMarco's total surety bond $250,000.
Kosciusko Superior Court I Judge Duane Huffer issued a gag order in the case March 22 after DeMarco's attorney field a document to request it, citing media attention surrounding the case and the possibility of tainting the jury pool. Public documents filed regarding the case are still available in the Kosciusko County Justice Building, but officials involved in the case are not allowed to comment.
The Warsaw Police Department and Kosciusko County Child Protective Services have been investigating the case, which now spans at least four counties, since March 7.
The Kosciusko Community YMCA suspended DeMarco March 9 after the molestation allegations surfaced. The YMCA then issued a letter to its members and released a statement regarding the incident.
DeMarco was a fourth- and fifth-grade basketball coach at the former Burket Elementary School, a substitute teacher in the area and a reserve police officer in Mentone and Silver Lake. He also was employed at Whitley County YMCA and worked in other jobs in places where he reportedly spent time around young boys.
Police established probable cause for DeMarco's arrest after interviewing children who implicated him for allegedly molesting them.
DeMarco allegedly befriended parents, then found ways to be alone with their children, usually young boys.
DeMarco appeared and entered a plea of not guilty in Kosciusko Superior Court I in front of Judge Duane Huffer at an initial hearing March 14 where his omnibus date was set for May 14, with a pretrial conference set for May 23. A status conference will take place April 20 in the prosecutor's office.
Anyone with more information regarding this case should contact the Warsaw Police Department at 574-372-9538 or 574-372-9535 or call Child Protective Services at 574-267-8108.
