A youth basketball coach was arrested in Florida over allegations he sexually abused children and offered their parents $5,000 each to buy them, according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO).
On Wednesday, Carl Philip Lombardo, 58, was arrested by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office on nine felony charges of human trafficking of a child for commercial sexual activity, interference with child custody, lewd or lascivious molestation of a victim less than 12 years of age, lewd or lascivious molestation of a victim between 12 and 16 years of age, lewd and lascivious exhibition, and two counts each of production of child pornography and possession of child pornography.
A statement by the sheriff’s office says deputies responded to a report on Aug. 31 that Lombardo had refused to return a 15-year-old boy to his parents after a sleepover at his house located on Spring Lake Place in Ocala.
When the teenagers’ parents confronted him about withholding their child, Lombardo responded with a video of the 15-year-old pretending to write a note to his parents asking to stay with him, authorities said.
Deputies say he coerced the teenage victim to record the video and that it was clear that the child was emotional as Lombardo belittled him for hesitating.
The victim’s parents answered and said they were going to contact law enforcement, but Lombardo told them “he was not concerned because he works with the schools and his reputation is spotless,” the sheriff’s office said.
Following a preliminary investigation, the victim was returned to his parents. The sheriff’s office said several of the children disclosed that Lombardo had touched them inappropriately and taken nude photos of them.
Lombardo turned over two of his cell phones to police, which led authorities to find multiple photos depicting child sexual abuse taken by him, numerous images of Lombaro cuddling with the children, and pictures of their feet, according to MCSO.
Lombardo admitted to authorities he offered the teens’ parents $5,000 each to keep the children and that the child sexual abuse pictures on his phone depicted one of the victims.
Investigators said the former basketball coach used his position to build trust and gain access to children. Lombardo coerced child victims through gifts, isolation, and threats, according to the police statement.
“He developed a pattern of keeping the children at his home for multiple-day stays, during which he molested two of the juvenile victims, exposed himself to the children, and photographed them inappropriately,” the sheriff’s office said.
Lombardo was interviewed on Sept. 18 by Detective Henrik Osthed of Marion County Sheriff’s Office, where he provided officers “contradicting statements about why the juveniles would disclose sexual abuse, the presence of CSAM (child sexual abuse material) on his phones, and his claims that he was trying to “save” the children from abuse,” the sheriff’s office said.
Lombardo was arrested and taken to Marion County Jail with no bond.
Due to the nature of these crimes and his former position as a basketball coach, detectives believe Lombardo may have victimized other children. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Osthed at (352) 351-4710.