COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A wrestling coach for a Columbus Catholic school appeared in court Friday after being charged with sex crimes against a child.
According to court records, Anthony J. Aiello, 46, of Grove City, is facing one charge each of sexual imposition, telecommunications harassment, and public indecency.
In September 2023, Aiello allegedly touched a child's genitals while the child was sleeping in the same bed. When the child woke up to find Aiello's hand touching them, Aiello claimed he had a "scary dream," court records state. The child said in a court document that Aiello's eyes were open, and he looked "flabbergasted" and scared.
In a second incident, in November 2023, during a Facetime call with the child, Aiello was allegedly touching himself, with the child saying they saw Aiello's genitalia during the call, according to court records.
Aiello, who has served as the Bishop Ready High School wrestling coach since December 2016, went before a Franklin County Municipal Court judge Friday morning and was issued a $1,000 bond for all charges, including telecommunications harassment, public indecency and sexual imposition with a victim between the ages of 13 and 15.
As of noon Friday, Aiello was removed from the school's website for its wrestling coach position. A spokesperson for the Diocese of Columbus said the following in a statement:
"Anthony Aiello has been employed annually as a wrestling coach by Bishop Ready High School since 2017. Anthony Aiello is no longer employed with the Diocese of Columbus.
Bishop Ready and the Diocese of Columbus stand firm on a zero-tolerance policy that holds all staff and volunteers to a high standard of conduct.
Student safety and well-being are of the utmost importance to the administration and the Diocese of Columbus. The Diocese of Columbus takes child protection seriously and remains vigilant in combating the perception and reality of child abuse."
