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Dad Gets Community Service After Convictions In Attack On Mahopac Coach

MAHOPAC, N.Y. -- The father who was convicted of assaulting a Mahopac High School girls lacrosse coach due to his daughter being cut from the team was sentenced on Tuesday to a conditional discharge.

Mahopac High School

Mahopac High School

Photo Credit: Sam Barron/File Photo

As part of the discharge, Alfonso DiFusco was ordered by Carmel Town Justice Thomas Jacobellis to pay $1,080 in fines and state surcharges in connection with his convictions for attempted criminal mischief, which is a misdemeanor, and harassment, which is a non-criminal violation. Payment is due by July.

DiFusco, a 47-year-old Mahopac resident, was charged with assaulting the coach during an argument on March 13, 2015. Aside from the charges that he was convicted on, DiFusco was charged with misdemeanor-level assault. 

Joseph Tock, DiFusco's lawyer, said that his client was acquitted of the assault charge, which was a misdemeanor, and convicted of the other charges following a bench trial on March 3. 

Jacobellis presided over the bench trial, Tock said.

The attempted criminal mischief charge stemmed from DiFusco being accused of grabbing the coach's phone in order to stop contact to police, Tock told Daily Voice, adding that the harassment charge was related to his client being accused of slapping and splitting at the coach.

DiFusco, who has been enrolled in an anger-management treatment program, was also ordered by Jacobellis to provide bimonthly updates of his progress with it. 

The judge also ordered DiFusco to complete 50 hours of community service through a program administered by the Putnam County Sheriff's Office; completion is due by Dec. 31.

Finally, Jacobellis issued a limited order of protection in favor of the lacrosse coach, which will run for two years. The order does not bar all contact, however, as DiFusco can still attend his daughter's high school graduation in June if the coach is also present. While attendance is permitted, Jacobellis encouraged DiFusco to avoid dialogue with the coach should he run into him.

Although Jacobellis found DiFusco guilty on two of the three charges, he expressed some sympathy, describing the defendant's situation as "emotion getting the better of your judgment." Additionally, Jacobellis believed that DiFusco, given his circumstances, does not require supervision in connection with his sentence.

Tock, in speaking with Daily Voice, expressed support for the terms of the sentence.

"I think the judge was very fair and acknowledged that this was an overprotective parent who perhaps overreacted," he said.

Although DiFusco's daughter was cut from the high school team, she has played on a travel team and will be heading to college on a lacrosse scholarship, Tock added.

DiFusco declined to comment following his sentencing.

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