Three members of the Somerville High School Junior Varsity boys soccer team were arrested today on rape charges in connection with an alleged sexual assault at a sports camp in Western Massachusetts, authorities announced this evening.
Berkshire District Attorney David F. Capeless said the alleged incident occurred at Camp Lenox, in Otis, where the city of Somerville rented a facility for team building for its fall sports teams.
The three teenagers, all juniors at Somerville High, allegedly entered a cabin occupied by freshmen students on Sunday and assaulted three victims, Capeless said in a statement.
Capeless said Galileo Mondol, 17, and two 16-year-olds were arrested today by Massachusetts State Police detectives.
Mondol is being charged with one count of aggravated rape of a child under the age of 16, two counts of assault with intent to rape a child under 16, one count of indecent assault and battery, three counts of assault and battery and three counts of witness intimidation. The two juvenile suspects, whose names were not released, will be arraigned on similar charges.
Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone said the school system first heard of the incident on Tuesday and reported it to the authorities.
"At this time, the thorough and meticulous investigation by the Berkshire County D.A.’s Office provides no indication that anyone other than the three individuals arrested have been implicated, and found that this was a single, isolated incident,'' said a statement from Curtatone and Tony Pierantozzi, Somerville school superintendent. "No other victims have been identified. Our student-athletes are taught to be leaders in our community and they represent the highest and best values that our school and our community hold.''
At a news conference this evening, Pierantozzi said that 161 Somerville students were at the camp and 19 adult supervisors. He has met with parents and athletes after the allegations were made.
"All of us, frankly, are horrified at these allegations,'' Pierantozzi said.
Somerville High School head soccer coach George Scarpelli, who said he was on the trip with his team when the alleged rapes occurred, declined to speak about the three boys who are accused, but said the rest of his team and the school community are supporting each other.
"It's not an easy situation. But it's something that our kids are standing up and being very strong," said Scarpelli. "I have good boys and they're standing very strong together."
