Catania, sexual abuse of minors in exchange for gifts and money: 59-year-old arrested

The Catania State Police, at the disposal of the District Prosecutor's Office of the Etna Republic, executed an order for the application of the precautionary measure of house arrest issued by the Preliminary Investigations Judge at the Court of Catania, towards a man (1965 class) seriously suspected, based on the elements acquired, of the commission of sexual offenses, even in the attempted form, against three minors, entrusted to him for reasons of supervision and custody.

The investigations, coordinated by the District Attorney's Office of Catania, promptly initiated by the Flying Squad investigators – Crimes against Persons Section, allowed to acquire, given the current state of the case and in relation to a procedural phase which has not yet allowed the intervention of the defence, elements which would demonstrate that the recipient of the house arrest measure, within reason of his clean record, has been responsible for serious conduct towards minors, suffering from pathologies, attending a healthcare institution, located in the Etna hinterland, within which the aforementioned would have abused the powers connected to the position held within the aforementioned structure.

The investigations, based on detailed testimonies of the three minors involved, heard in the form of a protected hearing, corroborated by elements deduced from some chats found on the cell phones of two of the offended people, have outlined a particularly alarming picture, rebuilt following the complaint from the mother of a 13 year old boy.

The suspect in detail, in service at the aforementioned institute since 1993, would have performed sexual acts with the aforementioned minor, approaching him through gifts of various kinds (candy, chips, cans of coke and a pair of sunglasses) as well as through the promise of sums of money for the upcoming name day and birthday and with communications on WhatsApp with a clearly sexual undertone.

The attempt to perform sexual acts was also confirmed against another minor, to which more Sometimes the suspect would have given sums of money (for an amount between 15 and 20 euros) and gifts of various types (candy and a bracelet), locking himself alone with the boy inside rooms of the aforementioned structure.

In April, dopo that the young man had stopped attending the institute for treatment reasons, il recipient of the measure would have implemented appropriate measures unequivocally directed towards completion of a sexual relationship.

The same dynamics were implemented towards a third minor, who is also undergoing treatment at the property, victim of the crime referred to in art. 609 quater of the Criminal Code (sexual acts with a minor).

In the executive context, a personal, local and IT search was carried out, seizing the mobile phone and other IT equipment used by the suspect, the contents of which will be analyzed in order to identify further elements of interest.