Broward County swim coach charged with sex crimes www.privateofficer.com
Posted by privateofficernews on November 20, 2008
Broward County swim coach charged with sex crimes www.privateofficer.com
Miami Fla Nov 20 2008
By Vanessa Blum SunSentinel.com
A prominent Broward County swim coach who admitted he had sex with minors appeared before a federal judge today to face child pornography charges, officials said.
By Vanessa Blum SunSentinel.com
A prominent Broward County swim coach who admitted he had sex with minors appeared before a federal judge today to face child pornography charges, officials said.
Robert Caragol, 35, of Plantation, former all-county swim coach of the year, surrendered to federal authorities Tuesday and confessed to possessing and sending child pornographic photographs via e-mail, according to a criminal complaint that outlines the investigation.
Caragol has coached swimming at the prestigious Pine Crest School in Fort Lauderdale since 2006.According to the complaint, the Broward Sheriff’s Office received a tip in August from America Online that an individual using an e-mail address belonging to Caragol had forwarded an e-mail containing three images that appeared to be child pornography.
Investigators questioned Caragol on Oct. 17, and he turned over his laptop computer voluntarily, the complaint states.A search of the laptop uncovered roughly 40 images of boys under the age of 18 engaging in sexual activity, the complaint states.In an interview with an FBI agent Tuesday, Caragol admitted he had sent, received and possessed hundreds of pornographic images of young boys, the complaint states.
He said he had other images that he threw away after investigators first questioned him.After an initial appearance before Magistrate Edwin Torres, Caragol was ordered to remain in custody until a Monday 10 a.m. bond hearing.Caragol, who previously coached boys’ swimming at Cypress Bay High School, also admitted he had engaged in sexual activity with children under the age of 18 dating back to 2001, according to the complaint; he said he was not “presently engaging” in sex with minors.Pine Crest head swim coach Jay Fitzgerald declined to comment. Other messages left for school officials were not immediately returned.
Cypress Bay’s athletic director, William Caruso, also declined to comment.Caragol, a well-known and well-liked coach, has worked at various South Florida swim clubs, including Metro Dade Aquatics and the Plantation Swim Team.
He is the general chairman of the Florida Gold Coast, which is the governing body for all local swim clubs in South Florida. Has also been the vice chairman and on board of directors for the FGC.
The SunSentinel named him coach of the year in 2006 after he coached the Cypress Bay team that won the state high school boys championship.
It was the first state title in the then four-year history of the school.Caragol mostly worked with 8- to 14-year-old swimmers.He has served on several Southern Zone Championship all star teams, traveling with young swimmers as a coach to Orlando, Atlanta and Dallas.Caragol has had no previous criminal violations in Florida, according to state records.
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