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Mar 3, 2022
A Costa Mesa, California, music teacher has been charged with a dozen felonies in relation to allegedly molesting two girls over the course of several years. The sexual abuse by the music teacher occurred when the students were just four and five years old, according to the Costa Mesa Police Department.
Prosecutors from the Orange County District Attorney’s Office sought the public’s help Wednesday in an effort to locate possible additional sexual abuse survivors who may have been harmed by the music teacher.
The suspect, Anthony “Tony” Philip Bruccoliere of Costa Mesa, 49, was arrested on February 11 and charged on February 15 for sexually assaulting the two girls between December 2008 and 2019, according to the criminal complaint.
The two girls, who are now teenagers, reported that Bruccoliere had molested them in several locations, including his music studio, according to authorities.
The Los Angeles Times reported that Bruccoliere owned a music studio called Brucco Music in Orange, California. The newspaper was not able to confirm whether the studio is still open.
Orange County Superior Court records confirm that Bruccoliere is facing the following charges:
The Costa Mesa music teacher faces a maximum sentence of 180 years to life if convicted on all counts.
Bruccoliere reportedly posted $1 million bail late last month and is expected to appear in court Friday, according to the Los Angeles Times. Local NBC 4 reported that Bruccoliere is scheduled for arraignment on March 12, 2022.
“This man has become a parent’s worst nightmare by preying on innocent young girls,” Orange County District Attorney, Todd Spitzer, said in a prepared statement. “The years of trauma these girls were forced to endure is unspeakable. The pain and suffering of sexual assault doesn’t just end when the physical attack is over; the psychological damage continues throughout the victims’ entire life,” Spitzer added.
“He’s [Bruccoliere] shocked by the allegations and he looks forward to proving that they’re not true,” the suspect’s attorney, Mark Fredrick, said Wednesday, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Authorities suspect that Bruccoliere’s position as a music teacher may have allowed him access to other children who could have been sexually assaulted. Potential sexual assault survivors or anyone with information related to Bruccoliere or the ongoing investigation is urged to contact one of the following law enforcement officials:
A recent study issued by the U.S. Education Department confirmed that reports of sexual violence in schools rose more than 50% between the 2015 and 2016 school year. Such a dramatic increase in school sexual abuse, including crimes committed by teachers, has caused parents to be rightfully outraged, with many becoming more vigilant and taking steps to keep their children safe.
In recent months, Dordulian Law Group’s (DLG) blog has featured countless stories of local educators and coaches being either charged or convicted of sex crimes against children.
Some of those recent Los Angeles-area teacher or coach sexual abuse crimes include:
Children are considered minors under California law. Accordingly, a child is never able to give consent, and any sexual act involving a minor is considered abuse. Under the law, teacher or coach abuse can entail sexual assault or sexual exploitation.
California law broadly defines child sexual assault as including any sexual act, such as rape, sodomy, incest, oral sex, etc. Furthermore, the following actions by a teacher or coach constitute a sex crime under California law:
Under California law, sexual exploitation of a child can also include depicting a minor in any of the aforementioned acts that are considered sexual assault. Teachers or coaches who promote, use, or coerce a child into participating in (or encouraging others to participate in) the following actions are committing sexual exploitation:
Furthermore, the law explicitly forbids any teacher or coach from coercing a child’s guardian into allowing such sexual exploitation or assault.
According to the American Bar Association (ABA), many child sexual abuse cases are preceded by grooming. Through understanding sexual grooming and learning to identify such behaviors on the part of teachers, coaches, clergy, relatives, etc., parents can help protect their children from potential abuse.
The ABA defines sexual grooming as:
A preparatory process in which a perpetrator gradually gains a person’s or organization’s trust with the intent to be sexually abusive.
When sexual grooming occurs, the victim is typically a child, teen, or vulnerable adult.
Sam Dordulian is an award-winning sexual abuse lawyer with over 25 years' experience helping survivors secure justice. As a former sex crimes prosecutor and Deputy District Attorney for L.A. County, he secured life sentences against countless sexual predators. Mr. Dordulian currently serves on the National Leadership Council for RAINN.
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