DEWITT, N.Y. — Police on Friday were searching the home of Syracuse University assistant basketball coach Bernie Fine eight days after allegations surfaced that he sexually abused two boys in the 1980s.
The Syracuse Post-Standard reported that officers began executing a search warrant at Fine’s home at 1:45pm local time. New York State troopers could be seen at the foot of Fine’s driveway and several police vehicles were parked in the area.
Fine was seen talking to police around 3:00pm.
Fine was placed on administrative leave by the university last week in light of the allegations being investigated by Syracuse Police.
One of the alleged victims, former Syracuse ball boy Bobby Davis, 39, claims to have been abused by Fine for several years in the early 1980s.
His stepbrother, Mike Lang, 45, also said that he was abused by Fine, who has served as an assistant coach at his alma mater for 35 years.
Fine has denied the accusations.
“The fact is these allegations have been thoroughly investigated multiple times,” Fine said. “When evaluating the veracity of these accusations, please keep in mind that credible media outlets were approached in the past to publicize these false allegations and declined to do so. I fully cooperated with all past inquires.”
Syracuse head men’s basketball coach Jim Boeheim has defended his assistant and questioned the motives and veracity of his accusers.
“We have to see what happens. I support Bernie, as I said,” Boeheim said earlier this week. “Known him for 50 years. If something else happens, surfaces — some factual thing — then we’ll have to adjust to that.”