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A gag order has been issued in the alleged child molestation case of a Mentone man.
Monday afternoon Judge Duane Huffer issued a gag order in the Anthony DeMarco case. DeMarco, 25, of 205 S. Oak St., Mentone, is accused of molesting a 13-year-old boy in fall 2004, and faces Class A felony child molesting charges. He is being held in the Kosciusko County Jail on a $100,000 surety bond.
Information was forwarded to the Kosciusko County Prosecutor's Office for charges relating to incidents with four more victims, ranging in age from 13 to 17 years old, early last week. The charges recommended by the Warsaw Police Department included three Class A felony child molesting charges, three Class D felony child solicitation charges and one Class C sexual battery charge. However, probable cause documents had not been filed in the Kosciusko County Justice Building as of Monday morning.
The gag order issued Monday prohibits anyone related to the case from speaking about it. Attorneys, police, family members, the YMCA and any other person or organization tied to the case is restricted from speaking to the media about the it.
Since March 7, the Warsaw Police Department and Kosciusko County Child Protective Services have been investigating the case.
DeMarco was suspended from his part-time job at the Kosciusko Community YMCA March 9 after the allegations surfaced. The YMCA then issued a letter to its members and released a statement regarding the incident.
Police believe many of the victims were introduced to DeMarco during his employment at the YMCA and related camps and outings. DeMarco was hired at the Kosciusko Community YMCA as the youth sports coordinator in 2001 and held various positions over the past four years. He was a youth center supervisor, climbing wall supervisor and was involved in various summer camps, Kids' Night Out activities and Kids' Club before- and after-school activities.
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.
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.
WPD continues to encourage any parent who is aware that their child had any contact with DeMarco to contact them at 574-372-9538 or 574-372-9535 or to call Child Protective Services at 574-267-8108.
Warsaw detectives will continue to interview possible victims and will forward more charges to the Kosciusko County Prosecutor's Office if appropriate.
