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The Warsaw Police Department forwarded recommendations for more child molestation and solicitation charges against a Mentone man to the Kosciusko County Prosecutor's Office this morning.
Anthony James DeMarco, 25, of 205 S. Oak St., Mentone, has been charged with child molesting, a Class A felony, in one case and is being held in the Kosciusko County Jail on a $100,000 surety bond. In that charge, DeMarco is accused of molesting a 13-year-old boy in fall 2004.
Police now seek three more Class A child molesting charges, three Class D felony child solicitation charges and a sexual battery charge against DeMarco in four additional cases.
The new charges sought by the WPD include four additional victims.
DeMarco faces Class A child molesting charges and Class D felony child solicitation charges for his alleged involvement in several incidents with a 15-year-old boy from June 2002 until early this year; with a 13-year-old boy between September 2003 and September 2004; and with another 13-year-old boy from June 2004 to March 2005. All three boys were from Kosciusko County.
Class D felony sexual battery charges also are being sought in connection with several incidents between May 2004 and March 2005, involving a 17-year-old Kosciusko County resident.
Warsaw Police detectives served a search warrant at DeMarco's house and recovered evidence involving some of the boys who have filed or referred charges and allegations. During the investigation, school pictures and other photos of yet unidentified boys were found, but it is not known if they are victims.
Police believe most of the victims were introduced to DeMarco during his employment at the YMCA and related camps and outings. DeMarco 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. He was hired at the Kosciusko Community YMCA as the youth sports coordinator in 2001 and held various positions over the past four years.
According to Steve Jungbauer, chief executive officer of the Kosciusko Community YMCA, all employees are screened before they are hired.
"It's pretty simple," Jungbauer said. "We follow the same procedure as most other Y's and most businesses, for that matter."
Jungbauer said the Kosciusko Community YMCA runs a criminal background check, a reference check with former employers and a character check with references provided by the employees. All references for DeMarco were satisfactory.
WPD and Kosciusko County Child Protective Services have been investigating the case, which now spans at least three counties, since March 7.
According to Jungbauer, he talked with Kosciusko County Child Protective Services after identifying a pattern with DeMarco. Another YMCA employee voiced concern to Jungbauer about two weeks ago, and Jungbauer talked with other employees to gather information that was taken to CPS.
Once CPS got involved, the Warsaw Police Department started its investigations, which led to DeMarco's arrest last week.
"We started out with second-, third- and fourth-hand information," said Jungbauer. "It is a credit to CPS and the Warsaw Police Department that the investigation moved rapidly. They spoke with the right people in a timely fashion to protect our community."
The YMCA suspended DeMarco March 9 after the 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 Monday morning. DeMarco's 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.
DeMarco was arrested Friday after Warsaw Police received information that he allegedly molested at least one child at the Kosciusko Community YMCA.
WPD is encouraging 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.
Jungbauer encouraged parents to talk with children and urged them to give police any information they may have about DeMarco.
Warsaw detectives will continue to interview possible victims in coming weeks and, if appropriate, will forward more charges to the Kosciusko County Prosecutor's Office.
