A trusted volunteer at a Baltimore City school is now charged with sexually abusing a student.
Police say the suspect, Mark Citro, 47, of Northeast Baltimore, served as a mentor at the Friendship Academy of Engineering and Technology.
The victim is a 14-year-old male student from the school.
Police say Citro formed a relationship with the boy over at least a one year period, even allowing him to sleep over at his home not far from the school.
Citro's wife of 24 years told ABC-2 News the boy did sleep over: 'The 14-year-old, yeah, very good friend,' said Paula Citro.
She maintains her husband's innocence. 'He's not guilty. He is not guilty at all,' she said.
But police say what went on inside the home went far beyond a mentor-student relationship.
Charging documents show that the victim told investigators, 'Mark would have (the victim) sit on the couch and put his legs up over his head and mark would push on (the victim's) rectum.'
Police say they watched gay pornography, and Citro exposed himself.
The boy also told police 'He believed Mark was stealing his underwear and that the suspect would give (the victim) his underwear to wear home instead.'
In addition to child sex abuse charges, Mark Citro is charged with impersonating a police officer. 'He'd dress as a police officer, he had badges, said that he worked with the Baltimore City Police and State Police and the FBI to put child predators behind bars, and it turns out this individual was a child predator himself,' said Anthony Guglielmi, a spokesman for the Baltimore City Police Department.
Neighbors can't believe it. 'Never had a problem, never would think that that was going on right up the street,' said Paul Coughlin, who lives a few doors down from the Citros' home.
Paula Citro said her husband served as a deacon at the Church of Christ and Country on Old Harford Road. She says the charges stem from a dispute with the victim's mother.
'It's none of your guys business it's between my husband and her right now,' she said. He's still innocent until proven guilty and with the lord above he will get out of this.'
Mark Citro has no criminal record -- but a woman did take out a restraining order against him earlier this year.
Police are concerned that there might be more victims because of Citro's volunteer work at that school. 'We believe they took a pretty dangerous individual off the streets. A child predator,' Guglielmi said.
Citro is being held without bond.
