Gymnastics coach charged with rape

Pleads not guilty to assaulting two teenage students

Gymnastics coach Steven Infante, 51, of Milford, Conn., is charged with sexually assaulting two girls during sleepovers at another coach's house in the 1990s. (JOSH REYNOLDS FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE)

A 51-year-old gymnastics coach from Connecticut is facing charges that he sexually assaulted two students in the early 1990s during slumber parties at another coach's house in Littleton.

Steven Infante of New Milford, Conn., is also being investigated regarding similar crimes involving other girls in Massachusetts and other states, Middlesex District Attorney Gerard T. Leone Jr. said in a telephone interview yesterday.

"We're alleging there was a pattern of grooming over several years, not only with these two victims but others as well," Leone said, referring to evidence that Infante wooed underage girls.

Infante pleaded not guilty in Middlesex Superior Court yesterday to charges of rape of a child, and two counts of indecent assault and battery on a person over 14. He was released on personal recognizance and was ordered to stay away from his accusers.

Infante's lawyer, Peter Russell, said yesterday that his client denies all the charges. "He stands ready to fight them," said Russell.

Leone said Infante plied girls with gifts, giving one a silk gym jacket, took groups to amusement parks, and gave some girls alcohol to make them receptive to his advances. He also flirted and made sexual innuendo a routine part of camp rituals, court records allege.

The assaults began at Five Star Gymnastics Camp, a venture Infante co-owned with his friend Stephen DiTullio of Littleton and a third unnamed party, court records allege.

Infante is charged with indecent assault on a 14-year-old girl attending the camp, a girl he had known since she was 10 years old and a student at The Gym Nest in Acton.

In the summer of 1991, DiTullio invited Infante and five or six girls from the camp's gymnastics team to his house for a sleepover while his wife and children were away. Infante initiated sexual contact with the girl that night, according to court records. He was 35 at the time.

Infante is also accused of raping the same girl a year later, allegedly taking her to DiTullio's home during a meet at Algonquin Regional High School in Northborough to have sex. The two allegedly continued to have secret sexual relations until she was 21.

Infante allegedly sexually assaulted a second girl, age 16, in 1993 at another sleepover at DiTullio's house. According to court records, Infante entered her room late in the night and awakened her, asking if he could share her sleeping bag. He allegedly continued to make sexual advances on the girl until she was in college.

Russell said that Infante owns and operates an art gallery near Hartford.

Leone said both alleged victims cooperated in the investigation. He declined to identify them.

Anyone who has information is asked to contact the District Attorney's Child Abuse Unit at (617) 591-7700.