An ill-fated Florida youth basketball coach has been accused of molesting several children during a disruptive sleepover — and he offered to buy them from their parents for $5,000, according to reports.
Carl Lombardo, 58, who coached kids at the Ocala Boys & Girls Club, allegedly molested several young boys at his home last month — and then refused to return a 15-year-old to his parents, according to a police official. WCJB-TV News reported on Monday,
The outlet reported that the suspect also filmed the boy writing a note to his parents saying he wanted to live at the coach's home — a note police said the boy was forced to write.
The accused child molester even offered to buy the children, and told the parents they were free to call the police as he had an impeccable image and worked with local schools.
But when Marion County Sheriff's Office deputies arrived and returned the children to their home on Aug. 31, the children reportedly told them Lombardo had touched them inappropriately and taken nude photos of them — prompting the department to launch an investigation.
They later found child porn images on his mobile phone, the outlet reported.
Last week, Lombardo was charged with nine counts, including possession of child pornography, molesting a child under the age of 16 and human trafficking. As per online records,
Meanwhile, Lombardo's neighbors told WCJB they always suspected something was off about her.
“You can feel his mood,” neighbor Vanessa Velez told the station. “My husband said it from day one — he seems like a crazy person.”
Lombardo is being held without bail.
