Baseball coach admits to sexually abusing boy

Posted: September 27, 2012

Former high school baseball coach and city court employee Louis Spadaccini pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges that he gave drugs and alcohol to two teenage boys last year and sexually assaulted one of them.

Spadaccini, 38, reached a plea deal with prosecutors that would put him behind bars for 12 to 24 years, followed by five years probation, said Assistant District Attorney Branwen McNabb. Spadaccini would also have to register as a sex offender for life under Megan's Law.

He pleaded guilty in the two cases to nine charges including involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, corruption of a minor and furnishing liquor to a minor.

Spadaccini was arrested last September after he brought a 14-year-old boy to the Packer Avenue Holiday Inn in South Philadelphia and gave the teenager a cocktail of vodka and orange soda spiked with the prescription drug Xanax. Spadaccini admitted that he knew the drink would render the boy unconscious, McNabb said.

A 13-year-old boy came forward after the arrest and said that he was given drugs and alcohol and had sexual contact with Spadaccini multiple times in July and August 2011, at the same Holiday Inn and Spadaccini's home.

At his home, Spadaccini gave the boy orange drink and vodka, fondled the victim and exposed himself. While at the hotel room, Spadaccini gave mixed drinks to the victim and sexually assaulted the boy after the teenager consumed the drink.

McNabb said she expects a sentencing date sometime in early January 2013. Spadaccini remains held on $2 million bail.

She credited the resolve of the victims in helping put Spadaccini away.

"The cases showed the strength and courage of two young boys to ensure" a conviction, McNabb said.

McNabb added that the case was worsened by the fact that trust was placed in the defendant.

"Lou was respected in baseball and in the court community and had a lot of trust instilled in him by the families," McNabb said.

The case was heard in front of Chester County Judge Ronald Nagle because Spadaccini was a former employee of the city courts.

Spadaccini coached baseball at Saints John Neumann and Maria Goretti Catholic High School for five seasons.

His lawyer, Tariq Karim El-Shabazz, could not be reached for comment.


Contact Sean Carlin at carlins@phillynews.com or follow on Twitter @SeanCarlin84.

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