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Former Patriots player, Walpole coach arraigned



Former New England Patriot and Walpole High School football coach Danny Villa in Wrentham District Court Tuesday. (AP/Pool photo)




WRENTHAM - Former New England Patriot Danny Villa pleaded not guilty Tuesday to allegations he had sex with a 15-year-old Walpole High School student.

Judge Warren Powers ordered Villa held on $100,000 cash bail following arraignment in Wrentham District Court. Powers also ordered Villa to wear a GPS monitor, and to have no contact with the alleged victim or her family.

Villa must also have no contact with any child under 16 except his own children, and to stay away from the Walpole public schools.

Walpole police charged Villa with three counts of statutory rape of a child over 14 and three counts of enticing a minor.

Villa, 44, of Walpole, was the Walpole High School football coach and athletic director before resigning Dec. 23, when the allegations surfaced.
Norfolk County Assistant District Attorney Bethany Rogers said Villa was the alleged victim's coach in youth sports before she entered high school.

Villa told her "if she needed to talk to him, she could," and they exchanged cell phone numbers, Rogers said.

Villa and the girl exchanged text messages as well, Rogers said.

According to a police report, the girl's father found more than 500 messages allegedly written by Villa during a one-month period. The messages said Villa had made a mistake, was going to lose his wife and children and loved the girl.

Villa and the girl had met outside school in October, including a secluded area near a housing development under construction, according to Rogers and the police report. The meetings ended this month.

Villa allegedly had sex with the girl on three occasions, the report said.

Villa now faces indictment by a grand jury on three charges of statutory rape, Rogers said.

Villa's attorney, Heather Baer, said she would appeal the amount of his bail. She had requested bail set at $15,000. Prosecutors had requested bail set at $250,000.

Rogers argued that Villa was a flight risk because he went to his home state of Arizona after becoming aware of the police investigation.

She also alleged that Villa no longer resides in Walpole.
"The only reason the defendant is here is because he was arrested" in Arizona, Rogers said.

The investigation is ongoing, Rogers said, which sparked the judge's curiosity.

"Are you suggesting there are other victims?" Powers said.

"Your honor, at this point I have only this information to offer to the court," Rogers replied.

Baer said Villa returned to Massachusetts Tuesday, rather than last Friday, on her office's advice.

Villa had purchased multiple plane tickets to Boston, including one for last Friday, when his lawyers advised him to fly back on Sunday so they could be there for him, Baer said.

"His failure to return on Friday is solely on our office," she said.

Villa had arranged the Arizona trip after discussing it with his family.

"At that point, there was no indication charges were coming," Baer said.

Villa and his attorneys had regular contact with the Walpole police and the district attorney's office regarding his plans, Baer said.

Villa was an offensive lineman in the NFL for 12 seasons after being drafted by New England out of Arizona State. He played six seasons with the Pats.

Powers continued the case until Jan. 28.

Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.

 


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