By Brian Brueggemann
Belleville News-Democrat [Granite City IL]
March 2, 2006
http://www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/news/local/13997254.htm
GRANITE CITY - An associate pastor at a Granite City church was charged Wednesday with sexually abusing a 13-year-old boy who spent the night at his home.
Anthony K. Muzzarelli, 27, of Granite City, is accused of fondling the boy on Saturday night. Granite City Police Major Jeff Connor said the boy and Muzzarelli are acquainted through Muzzarelli's position at Mount Zion Baptist Church.
Connor said the boy told his parents about the fondling after he got home from the sleep-over. The parents went to police on Saturday morning.
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| Anthony K. Muzzarelli |
"The boy told his parents. We got involved and started an investigation," Connor said. "He was taken into custody Tuesday evening."
Police said the boy was not at Muzzarelli's home for a church event. The 13-year-old boy was the only person spending the night, Connor said.
Muzzarelli was in custody Wednesday afternoon with bail set at $100,000. He is charged with aggravated criminal sexual abuse, a felony carrying a maximum sentence of seven years in prison.
Connor said investigators have no information to suggest there may be other victims, but if there are, police want to talk with them.
"We're interested if there are any other victims out there," Connor said. "We don't know that this is an isolated case."
Anyone with information should call police at 877-6111.
The pastor of the church could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
Contact reporter Brian Brueggemann at bbrueggemann@bnd.com or 692-9481. "We're interested if there are any other victims out there," Connor said. "We don't know that this is an isolated case."
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