Casalnuovo businessman accused of pedophilia faces immediate trial

The preliminary investigations judge of the Nola Court, Teresa Valentino, granted the request of Deputy Prosecutor Simone Rappucci and ordered the immediate trial of a 47-year-old businessman from Casalnuovo di Napoli, accused of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old boy in the back room of his business. The hearing is scheduled for Monday, December 1st, at 9:00 a.m. at the Nola Court.

The dynamic: "Trust gained under the guise of a web search"

According to the reconstruction by investigators and the Nola Prosecutor's Office, the events date back to June 13, 2026. The minor had gone to the store on an errand when the man, after asking seemingly innocuous questions about school and sports to gain his trust, allegedly lured him into the back room under the pretext of helping him conduct an internet search. According to the prosecution, it was there that the abuse allegedly took place.

Confession and protected hearing of the minor

After days of silence, the businessman reportedly decided to confess to investigators, admitting his responsibility. The confession was later reiterated before the investigating judge during the preliminary hearing.

The victim, interviewed at the prosecutor's request in a protected manner as part of the evidentiary hearing, was assessed by a court psychologist who deemed her to have "full cognitive capacity" and, consequently, "fully reliable" in her story.

The role of parents and family defense

The truth was brought to light by the 12-year-old's parents, who had noticed their son's growing distress in the days following the events. At his parents' prompting, the minor finally revealed what had happened.
The family is being assisted by lawyer Francesco Petruzzi, who oversaw the entire process, from the filing of the complaint to the preliminary investigation and the request for indictment.

Investigations and checks on possible other cases

The investigation, coordinated by the Nola Prosecutor's Office, also included checks to determine the possible existence of other victims. Some media outlets had reported checks on two other similar cases as part of the same investigation.

With the precautionary prison measure ordered in June and now the immediate trial, the proceedings enter the decisive phase: on the one hand the confession of the suspect and the elements already collected, on the other the psychological assessments and the evaluations of the judicial authority.