Coach pleads not guilty to sex charges

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WPRI) – A youth hockey coach accused of soliciting teen boys online has pleaded not guilty to a variety of new charges.

Anthony DeSilva, 41, of Acushnet, was initially charged with ten counts of using a computer to seduce a child , and one count of transmission of material harmful to a child.

Undercover detectives in Florida have now brought 64 more charges against the coach, including three counts of using a computer to seduce a child while misrepresenting age, and 57 counts of using a two-way device to facilitate a felony.

The Polk County Sheriff's office tells us DeSilva sent 57 separate text messages, e-mails, or Facebook messages to two Florida teenagers.

The investigation also led to two counts of traveling to meet a minor, one count of second degree felony, and two counts of encouraging a child to engage in sexual performance against the suspect.

DeSilva faced a judge for the first time Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to the additional charges. He's now being held on $182,000 bond.

The mother of one of the teens contacted police when she believed DeSilva was talking to her son on Facebook.

DeSilva had both online and texting conversations with an undercover detective that he believed to be the two 16-year-olds. He encouraged the boys to travel to Massachusetts to engage in sexual acts.

He also allegedly asked the boys to send him naked photographs of themselves over the Internet.

DeSilva is a coach for the Massachusetts Maple Leafs, a club team made up of players aged 16 to 20 years old.

The investigation is ongoing. Right now, detectives do not believe there are any local victims.