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A Mentone man was arrested Friday evening on charges of allegedly molesting at least one child in Kosciusko County.
Anthony J. DeMarco, 25, of 205 S. Oak St., Mentone, was arrested around 5:45 p.m. Friday. He was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail on one charge of child molesting, a Class A felony, and is being held on a $100,000 surety bond.
While DeMarco currently faces only one charge, police are continuing their investigation and believe there may be more victims, said Warsaw Police Department officer Joe Stanley.
DeMarco was arrested after Warsaw Police received information that he allegedly molested at least one child at the Kosciusko Community YMCA. DeMarco worked at the YMCA.
The YMCA suspended DeMarco Wednesday after the allegations surfaced. The Warsaw Police Department and Kosciusko County Child Protective Services have been investigating the case since Wednesday, Stanley said.
DeMarco also was a fourth- and fifth-grade basketball coach at the former Burket Elementary School, a substitute teacher in the area and a reserve officer in a small town in the county, although police did not disclose which town.
He was also employed at a YMCA in another county and worked in other jobs 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.
Stanley said DeMarco allegedly befriended parents, then found ways to be alone with their children, usually young boys.
Stanley said some children mentioned incidents involving DeMarco, to their parents, but the parents believed DeMarco was "too good a guy to do something like that."
So far, it is believed that at least eight children have been victims of alleged molestation, but police think more victims exist.
More charges against DeMarco are expected in the near future.
"Anyone who has had a child who has spent any amount of time alone with (DeMarco) should contact us," said Stanley. "Any detail is important."
Anyone with information should contact the Warsaw Police Department at 574-372-9538 and leave a message.
Although details are not necessary in the message, the police are asking people with information to leave a callback number.
