Crime & Safety

Youth Soccer Coach Faces 12 Counts, Including Child Pornography

Police are still asking anyone with information about the West Valley Youth Soccer League coach, or possible victims, to come forward.

The ongoing investigation of the tech engineer and youth soccer coach arrested March 21 and charged with having sex with a 13-year-old girl, may take a few weeks to unfold, according to the District Attorney’s office.

Emanuele Fabrizio, 36, a PayPal engineer and coach for West Valley Youth Soccer League, was arrested at his Sunnyvale apartment Wednesday morning and arraigned on March 23 on 12 counts, among them sexual abuse of a minor, lewd acts on a child, distribution of lewd material and a charge of possession of child pornography related to the 13-year-old he is accused of having sex with.

Fabrizio is not a registered sex offender and has no record, but was arrested in 2006 for misdemeanor battery, arising from a domestic dispute, Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Marisa McKeown said.

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Police obtained search warrants for Fabrizio’s apartment the day he was arrested, and McKeown expects to get more details on Friday of what was found in the search.

Acting on a March 13 tip from the girl’s father who was concerned about the relationship that developed with Fabrizio, an Italian native, police moved on what was “suspicious” information found by the father, Sunnyvale Capt. David Verbrugge said.

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Fabrizio’s bail was set at $1.5 million, based on the accumulative amounts of the charges filed against him.

West Valley Youth Soccer League serves youth in the communities of Cupertino, West San Jose, Campbell, Saratoga, and Los Gatos. Fabrizio also gave private soccer coaching sessions outside of his work with WVYSL. Police are still working to determine if there are other victims.

"He's been a youth coach for a while, so we don't know if there are any other victims but if there are, we'd like them to step forward," Verbrugge said.

Anyone with more information related to the case is asked to call Detective Michael Mendoza at (408) 730-7130. Anyone wishing to leave an anonymous tip may do so via email at SVTIP@tipnow.org.


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