Verdict stuns Siciliano backers
Ex-volunteer, official to appeal in rape case
Supporters of Anthony Siciliano, a longtime city volunteer and manager who was charged with raping a teenager in the mid-1990s, are in shock following a Norfolk Superior Court jury's guilty verdict this week. An appeal is planned.
The jury found Siciliano -- who spent 20 years as head of the city's emergency management department -- guilty of three counts of statutory rape. He was sentenced to four to five years in state prison and five years of probation upon release.
Siciliano, 65, was acquitted on a fourth charge of indecent assault and battery that was based on accusations a second alleged victim made after the initial indictment. Both crimes involved teens in city programs.
People who supported Siciliano after he was indicted in 2005 say they still doubt the crimes occurred.
"In this occasion I think they made the wrong decision," said James Sheets, who as mayor for 12 years and city councilor for 16 knew Siciliano.
"It's completely out of context with, in my opinion, his integrity and character."
Siciliano had spent more than 30 years volunteering with the city, beginning with the auxiliary police unit, and was eventually hired as head of emergency management. He coordinated plans during hurricanes and directed the response to severe flooding.
"Tony always had the reputation of being there when he was needed," said Henry Bosworth, publisher of the Quincy Sun weekly newspaper. "All the time I've known him he had a good reputation. I never heard of any wrongdoing."
Bosworth was listed as a character witness but was never called to testify. Sheets did testify during the trial.
Sheets said that Siciliano ran several programs in which he organized seniors or city youth as volunteers, and that he never heard of any wrongdoing.
In 2002, newly elected Mayor William J. Phelan fired Siciliano, saying he lacked the qualifications needed to direct an emergency management unit in light of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Even at that time, the community rallied on Siciliano's behalf.
In 2005, Siciliano was accused of raping a youth volunteer and member of the Community Emergency Response Team. The man said Siciliano molested him during the period of 1995 to 1998, beginning when he was 13.
The former program member, who is now in his mid-20s, said he was first approached by Siciliano in the youth group's basement headquarters at the Department of Public Works. The acts continued at Siciliano's home, at the program's headquarters, and at the Department of Public Works garage, he said.
Siciliano was charged with three counts of statutory rape. Soon after, another alleged victim, now in his 20s, stepped forward saying Siciliano inappropriately touched him when he was a teenager. Siciliano was additionally charged with indecent assault and battery.
A jury found Siciliano guilty of the initial three charges of statutory rape, but he was acquitted of indecent assault and battery.
David Traub, a spokesman for Norfolk County District Attorney William R. Keating, would not comment on the support for Siciliano, but said the conviction was based on evidence the jury heard from the victims themselves.
"Those victims should be given a lot of credit for seeing this through to the end," he said.
Siciliano's lawyer, Francis X. Collins of Quincy, said he has filed notice that he will appeal the verdict, saying he expects a not guilty verdict when the case is retried. He would not discuss the grounds of the appeal, saying he will make his argument when the case has a new trial.
But Collins said "hundreds" of people would have testified to Siciliano's good character. There was nothing other than the alleged victims' testimony to support a guilty verdict, he said.
"It's unusual to be able to present an unimpeached reputation offense," Collins said, noting the case had no physical evidence, no corroborating witnesses, and no alcohol or pornography.
Sheets said he respects the judicial process, but believes in this case the jury got it wrong.
"I just told people who raised the issue with me, I just told them about my experiences," he said of his many years of working with Siciliano. "I've known Tony way too long."
Milton J. Valencia can be reached at valencia@globe.com. 