BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Francesco Maccarrone was "catfished" by a minor who he believed was 16, but when she revealed her true age of 13 years old, he said it didn't matter.
Former Southtowns YMCA basketball and soccer coach Francesco Maccarrone pleaded guilty in an Erie County courtroom to a D Felony, disseminating indecent material to a minor. This means he will not stand trial and a judge will determine his sentence. He could spend up to seven years in prison if convicted.
He was originally arrested on charges of endangering the welfare of a child and disseminating indecent material in Buffalo City Court.
This case originated with Maccarrone texting a minor who now lives out of state. The victim in this case was friends with the girl Maccarrone had previously been texting. Both were girls he had previously coached.
The victim in this case, 13 years old at the time of the explicit message exchange created a fake social media account to "lure" Maccarrone. "It was bait and he (Maccarrone) bit," says Erie County District Attorney John Flynn. She and Maccarrone exchanged explicit messages during December of 2018. When the girl admitted she was 14 instead of 16 like her fake social media account listed, Maccarrone said it didn't matter. She then arranged a meetup, which she never went to and told her grandmother who then contacted police.
The victim was coached by Maccarrone for three years.
"Her hands are not totally clean, if she was my daughter I'd scold her, but she's still a victim," says Flynn. He says his office has a "laser focus" on prosecuting sex crimes.
