Glendale coach arrested for allegedly attempting to lure minor for sex
Feb 4, 2019, 1:15 PM | Updated: 3:07 pm
(MCSO Photo)
(MCSO Photo)
PHOENIX — The head football coach at Mountain Ridge High School in Glendale was arrested last week for allegedly attempting to lure a minor for sex.
Tempe Police Sgt. Ron Elcock told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Monday that the department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit conducted the investigation that led to the arrest.
According to court documents, Vincent Ciliberti Jr., 35, exchanged messages online with an undercover officer posing as a 14-year-old boy.
Ciliberti allegedly stated that he wanted a sexual relationship with the boy and went to a location in Mesa where he thought he was meeting the boy.
Ciliberti was arrested and charged with one count each of luring a minor for sex and attempted sexual conduct with a minor, both class 3 felonies.
“At the time of his arrest, he was a track and field coach, head football coach and ninth- through 12th-grade teacher at Mountain Ridge High School in Glendale,” Elcock said.
Ciliberti was on the football coaching staff at Pinnacle High School in Phoenix from 2003 until he was hired at the Glendale school in December 2016, according to AZCentral.
He was released Friday and ordered to appear in court on Feb. 14.
Deer Valley Unified School District informed parents of the arrest last week.
In a letter obtained by ABC 15, the district said it is cooperating with a police investigation.
It also said Ciliberti passed all required background checks before being hired at the school.
“Obviously, we conduct these types of investigations to try to keep our community safe, and this is just another one of those investigations,” Elcock said.
KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Ali Vetnar contributed to this report.
