A Florida youth basketball coach has been arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing children and offering $5,000 per person to buy them.
Carl Philip Lombardo, 58, a volunteer coach in Ocala, was arrested last week by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office following an investigation after parents alleged he refused to return their 15-year-old son from a sleepover on Aug. 31.
Lombardo had returned the teen’s siblings to their parents earlier that day and allegedly sent the boy’s parents a chilling video of the child pretending to write a letter saying he wanted to stay with Lombardo.
“He says, ‘I’m writing this letter… because…’ and then becomes emotional,” the video shows, according to an arrest affidavit. obtained by USA Today.
‘He lowers his head and cries, and on the other side of the camera the suspect can be heard saying, “Stop crying, just do it!”‘
Carl Philip Lombardo, 58, has been arrested for allegedly abusing children and offering their parents $5,000 each to buy them
When the boy’s parents later said they would contact police, the former coach said he wasn’t concerned because “he works with schools and his reputation is spotless.” according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
The teen was eventually returned safely to his parents, but the incident led to a criminal investigation into Lombardo’s actions. During the investigation, several children told police that he had touched them inappropriately and taken nude photos of them.
When officers later contacted Lombardo, the suspect admitted that he had attempted to buy children from their parents for $5,000 each. He also turned over two cell phones to police. They said the phones contained numerous photos of Lombardo cuddling with children, photos of their feet, and other child sexual abuse material.
The coach would later admit to officers that at least one of the photos on his cell phone depicted one of the minor victims, but he made “conflicting statements about why the minors would disclose sexual abuse, the presence of [child pornography] on his phones, and his claims that he was trying to ‘rescue’ the children from abuse,” authorities said.
The volunteer basketball coach is accused of abusing his position to gain the trust of his victims’ families by hosting sleepovers with the youths at his Ocala home on multiple occasions.
Agents now allege Lombardo abused his position as a youth basketball coach to gain the trust of his victims’ families and host sleepovers at his Ocala home on multiple occasions.
Lombardo is also said to have coerced the children through gifts, isolation and threats.
“He developed a pattern of holding the children captive for several days, during which he abused two of the minor victims, exposed himself to the children and inappropriately photographed them,” the sheriff’s office alleges.
“The short story here is that Mr. Lombardo is an absolute predator,” Lt. Paul Bloom said BE.
Neighbors also called him “strange” and said there was always something off about the 59-year-old man who lived alone.
Lombardo was arrested last week by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office following an investigation that began after parents alleged he refused to return their 15-year-old son from a sleepover on Aug. 31.
His neighbors called him “strange” and said there was always something wrong with the 59-year-old who lived alone
“You could feel the vibe from him,” Vanessa Velez told WCJB. “My husband said it from day one: he seems like a creep to me.”
Richard Foster, another neighbor, said he saw children at Lombardo’s home throughout the day.
“We leave for work at five in the morning and get home at five in the afternoon, and they’re there at five in the morning, and they’re there at five in the afternoon when we get home,” he said. “It’s just very strange, very strange.”
Velez also said he had previously seen children leaving Lombardo’s home crying.
“Children would come out crying and my kids would ask, ‘Are you OK? Are you OK?’” she said.
She said the children would then respond with, “Yes, yes, and then just move on.”
“But it was concerning because he wasn’t married and didn’t have any children of his own,” she said of Lombardo.
The former coach now faces charges of human trafficking for the purpose of commercial sexual activity, interference with the custody of a child, indecent or lascivious sexual assault of a victim under the age of 12, indecent and lascivious display, and two counts of producing child pornography and possessing child pornography.
However, authorities have said they believe there may be additional victims “due to the nature of these crimes, Lombardo’s former position as coach of a children’s basketball team, and his clearly predatory nature involving elements of isolation and control.” They are asking victims to come forward, as Lombardo is being held without bail.