A Spotsylvania County man was accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old boy he was acquainted with through church.
Edward Zottoli is known as Brother Ed at Christian Outreach Tabernacle, where the 61-year-old mentored teenage boys.
Zottoli invited the victim and his younger brother to his home for a sleepover earlier this week, investigators said. While the younger boy slept on the couch, Zottoli allegedly took the 14-year-old to his room and sexually assaulted him. According to authorities, Zottoli first asked the victim to sleep in his bed with him while the suspect was nude. He then asked the boy for a massage before it escalated to sexual assault, authorities said.
The victim reported Zottoli to his parents, and before he could finish telling his story to investigators, Zottoli appeared at the sheriff’s office with a fellow parishioner and turned himself in. Investigators said he admitted molesting boys before while serving abroad in the armed forces.
Zottoli was charged with four counts of indecent liberties with a child while in a custodial role and one count of forcible sodomy.
The sheriff’s office would like to hear from anyone else who may have been victimized.
Christian Outreach Tabernacle Pastor Norman Gallimore told News4 he was totally shocked by the allegations and doesn't know how to break the news to the congregation.
