A former Neumann-Goretti baseball coach was sentenced formally for endangering two teens whom he mentored.
Louis Spadaccini
His players idolized him, and their parents trusted him with their children. This morning, some of those parents used other words to describe Louis Spadaccini, who led the baseball team at Ss. John Neumann and Maria Goretti High School, 1736 S. 10th St., since 2008, such as “conniving child molester” and “pedophile.”
After pleading guilty Sept. 26, ’12, Spadaccini, 38, of the 2600 block of South Iseminger Street, was sentenced to a negotiated deal of 12 to 24 years behind bars plus five years on probation for drugging two boys and molesting one of them. While the state’s Department of Corrections has not yet assigned him to a state institution, Chester County’s Judge Ronald C. Nagle agreed to recommend Chester state prison, where he could be closer to his family and receive drug and alcohol treatment.
“I just want to tell everyone in this room how truly sorry I am for my actions,” Spadaccini said when addressing the court. “I tried my whole life to help people and I honestly failed in a big way.”
Police first arrested Spadaccini Sept. 19, ’11, the day after he gave a Neumann-Goretti incoming freshman, then 14, alcohol, including an orange soda, vodka and Xanax blend. Upon the boy’s parents’ insistence, Spadaccini returned the youngster, who was still intoxicated, to his residence about four hours later. The boy’s parents took him to the hospital where he stayed for 36 hours and tests showed benzodiazepines in his blood.
Spadaccini was arrested the next night and posted bail. However, a then-13-year-old boy came forward Sept. 20, ’11, noting the former coach had given him mixed drinks and abused him on three separate
occasions that summer. “I think Coach Lou deserves to be in jail for life for what he did ’cause when you hurt me, I was helpless and couldn’t do anything,” the boy who was assaulted wrote in his victim impact statement that Assistant District Attorney Joseph McGlynn read to the court as the now 15-year-old stood at his side. “And now I think it’s fair that you should be helpless and not be able to do anything. I don’t think he should ever get out of jail, but if he does, he shouldn’t be allowed to be near kids.”
For years, the boy looked forward to when he would join the Saints’ baseball team, but after Spadaccini’s abuse, he decided against enrolling at the East Passyunk Crossing institution, his mother told the court.
“Today, my son is a hero,” she said. “My son saved many other boys and families from Coach Lou.”
The Review has omitted victims’ and their parents’ names to protect their identities.
For more details on his sentencing, check back for the Review’s Feb. 7 issue.
Contact Managing Editor Amanda L. Snyder at asnyder@southphillyreview.com or ext. 117.
Louis Spadaccini walked in the courtroom with his hands cuffed in front of him and glanced toward his family before sitting in his seat at the defense table around 10:30 a.m. Monday.
About three months after leading the baseball team at Neumann-Goretti High School, 1736 S. 10th St., to its second City and Catholic League titles under his tenure, Louis Spadaccini was arrested for drugging a boy and rearrested days later when another boy came forward with a similar story that also included accusations of sexual assault.
The head coach of the Ss. Neumann-Goretti baseball team was arrested for allegedly supplying a minor with alcohol Monday and put behind bars the following night for an allegation of sexual abuse.
Article:
Staying put
Article:
Taken off the streets
Article:
Banned from FDR Park
Article:
Minimum of 25 years
Article:
Burglar behind bars
Article:
Crazy eight
Article:
Questions remain
Article:
Clearing her account
1. Anonymous said... on Feb 5, 2013 at 08:00AM
“This thing should be put down like a dawg.....”
2. rockyfortune said... on Feb 5, 2013 at 09:36AM
“the big bad star baseball player from back in the day was/is a pedophile...how pathetic he is now...”
3. Anonymous said... on Feb 5, 2013 at 10:07PM
“I''m really shocked this happen I alway's use to see coach Lou playing football with his son outside. I feel bad for his parents because they are nice people and they should not have to go threw this pain.”
4. Anonymous said... on Feb 6, 2013 at 09:36PM
“Coach Lou should not be aloud to be around kid's anymore because of what he did. I have two sons and if that happen to my kid's I would be pissed off.
”
5. Anonymous said... on Feb 7, 2013 at 12:16PM
“Crumb, deadbeat father, school drop out, drug addict, still lives with Mom & Dad. Tried to help people??? Who? Loser coached baseball! He & his family are dillusional. They paint him as a great person & father. He stinks at both! HE LEFT HIS SON at a baseball tournament in Maryland to drive home and take one of the victims to the Holiday Inn the day he got caught. LEFT HIS SON in another state to go abuse a boy. That takes some thought, he knew what he was doing. Yea, your a great father! His son is better off, he has a mother and GREAT step-father who support and raise him right. Lou & his family are crying addiction. STOP, That doesn't make you rape teenage boys. He does not deserve to go to Chester Prison it's a drug facility and a cake walk. Belongs in a hard time prison and get what he deserves. Everyone write the judge and DA a letter. The victims families should be furious he would even get consideration of going to Chester. Better move out of the state IF and when he gets out!”
6. rockyfortune said... on Feb 7, 2013 at 12:24PM
“hey number 5..tell us more..sounds like a lot of all that was left out in the previous articles..makes it sound like he just made a bad choice.”
7. Anonymous said... on Feb 7, 2013 at 12:30PM
“The boys who came forth should be called heroes they saved so many more boys from this animal. He probably would have killed one of them. I don't know how his family sleeps at night thinking he is a good person they were in the court room and heard these family members stories and how much pain was put on them. He should be put in the most vile prison and how dare they say he is a victim also. To use drug addiction as an excuse that is sickening to me. There are not enough words in the dictionary to what he is. God bless his victims and there familys they will rise above what he did and become better men than he every could think of being.”