The three players, who are juniors, area accused of assaulting three freshman victims.
Credit: Metro Archive
A Somerville High School boys soccer player will be in court Tuesday to answer charges that he and two other players raped other students while at a student-athlete retreat in western Massachusetts.
Galileo Mondol, 17, and two 16-year-olds who were not identified because of their age, were arrested Friday by state police. Mondol faces charges including aggravated rape of a child under 16, assault and battery and witness intimidation, according to the Berkshire district attorney’s office. The juveniles face similar charges, and their cases will be heard in juvenile court.
The alleged incident took place Aug. 25 at Camp Lenox in Otis, where Somerville High School hosted a retreat for student-athletes. Authorities said Mondol and the two 16-year-olds, who are all juniors and members of the junior varsity soccer team, entered a cabin occupied by freshman students and assaulted three victims.
In a joint statement, Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone and Superintendent Tony Pierantozzi called the incident disturbing.
“We are disturbed and appalled that these crimes may have taken place and our thoughts and concerns are with the victims and their families,” the said in the statement.
According to the Globe, Curtatone was at the camp as a volunteer football coach.
The statement said there was no indication that anyone else was involved in the attack, and that it was an isolated incident.
“We take great pride in the fact that our students are actively involved in creating caring and supportive school communities. We continue to emphasize to all students that any type of aggressive, criminal or demeaning behavior is unacceptable and will not be tolerated in Somerville public schools,” the statement said.
Mondol’s lawyer told the Globe that the teen will plead not guilty during his arraignment in a Pittsfield court Tuesday.
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