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A hearing on a motion for a change of venue in the trial of a Mentone man accused of child molesting was continued in Kosciusko Superior Court.
In late November, Merrillville attorney Michael J. Lambert, representing Anthony J. DeMarco, asked for a change of venue for the case. A new date for the hearing has not been set. Jury selection in the trial is set to begin at 8:30 a.m. Jan. 16.
In the motion, Lambert cited press coverage and a letter sent by the Kosciusko County YMCA to around 4,000 members as reasons to move the case.
DeMarco is accused of molesting boys under age 14 and faces two Class A felony child molesting charges. He also faces Class C felony child molesting charges in three other cases. He is being held in the Kosciusko County Jail on $250,000 surety bond.
Kosciusko Superior Court I Judge Duane Huffer issued a gag order in the case March 22 after DeMarco's attorney filed a document requesting 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.
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.
