Local

Principal guilty of fondling self, making sexual advances in L.A. Fitness sauna

PITTSBURGH — A jury ruled that a Pittsburgh Public Schools principal is guilty of fondling himself or making sexual advances toward two men and a teenage boy at a health club sauna.

Channel 11's Alan Jennings was in court Wednesday when the verdict was handed down.

Defense attorney Phil DiLucente contends 37-year-old Alfonzo DeIuliis is innocent and wasn't even at the LA Fitness in suburban McCandless Township during two of the alleged incidents. DiLucente presented evidence that DeIuliis didn't use his swipe card the day of one alleged incidents, and was with a woman during another incident.

But Allegheny County Assistant District Attorney Kevin Chernosky told a jury "the chances that three people come forward making similar allegations just doesn't happen."

"We are extremely, extremely disappointed and quite frankly dumbfounded," said DiLucente.

The defendant has been on unpaid leave as principal of a PreK-8 school since the charges were filed in August. The alleged incidents occurred between February 2013 and his arrest.

After the ruling, a judge revoked DeIuliis' bond and he was taken to jail. He was found guilty of indecent exposure, corruption of minors, indecent assault and open lewdness.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.