MAJOR CRIMES DETECTIVES OF THE CHARLOTTE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE ARRESTED A PUNTA GORDA MAN WHO ALLEGEDLY GAVE ALCOHOL AND DRUGS TO AT LEAST FOUR TEENAGE BOYS, THEN SEXUALLY BATTERED THEM IN HIS HOME. DEPUTIES SAY THE INVESTIGATION BEGAN WHEN THE STEP-FATHER OF ONE OF THE VICTIMS CONTACTED THEM AFTER HE CAME HOME INTOXICATED, CRYING, AND WEARING ONLY A TEE SHIRT. THE VICTIM SAID HE WAS DRINKING BEER ALL DAY AT A NEIGHBOR’S HOME GIVEN TO HIM BY THE MAN KNOWN AS “UNCLE TONY,” LATER IDENTIFIED AS 57 YEAR OLD ANTHONY VIRGILI. THE BOY SAID HE HAD 18 BEERS AND PASSED OUT, AND WHEN HE WOKE UP HE WAS IN TONY’S BEDROOM WITH TONY PERFORMING A SEX ACT ON HIM. HE SAID HE PUSHED TONY AWAY AND RAN HOME. THE STEP-FATHER WENT TO VIRGILI’S HOME WHERE THEY EXCHANGED WORDS BEFORE THE BOY’S CLOTHES WERE RETRIEVED. DETECTIVES SAY THEIR INVESTIGATION LED THEM TO THREE OTHER TEENS WHO ALSO REPORTED THEY WERE BEFRIENDED BY TONY. ALL HAD BEEN TO HIS HOME NUMEROUS TIMES AND HAD CONSUMED BEER AND KLONOPIN PILLS, AND THEY ALL HAD SEX WITH HIM. DETECTIVES WENT TO VIRGILI’S HOME MONDAY TO QUESTION HIM, AND EVEN THOUGH HE DENIED THE CHARGES, HE WAS ARRESTED FOR SEXUAL BATTERY. HE REMAINS IN THE CHARLOTTE COUNTY JAIL WITHOUT BOND, AND DEPUTIES SAY MORE CHARGES MAY BE FILED BY THE STATE ATTORNEY’S OFFICE PENDING FURTHER INVESTIGATION.
