Ex-Patriot Villa surrenders to police

Dec 28, 2008 - 7:55 AM BOSTON (Ticker) -- Daniel Villa, a former New England Patriot and state champion high school football coach, turned himself into police in Tucson, Arizona on Saturday after being charged with raping a student at Massachusetts' Walpole High School.

Villa, who is originally from Arizona, turned himself in Saturday evening after police spent almost two days trying to coax him into surrendering, the Boston Globe reported.

A former offensive lineman who played 12 years in the NFL, including six with the Patriots, Villa faces three counts of rape of a child over 14, and three counts of enticing a minor, police said.

The warrant for his arrest was issued Friday in Wrentham, Massachusetts District Court.

Police believe the only victim was a Walpole High student-athlete.

The crimes occurred in the past several months, Walpole Police Chief Richard Stillman told The Globe.

Villa resigned on Tuesday as Walpole's football coach and athletic director after being confronted with the allegations by school Superintendent Lincoln Lynch, according to reports.

Villa's lawyer, Heather V. Baer issued a statement by e-mail saying that Villa had originally planned to surrender December 29.

"On learning this afternoon that Arizona police were nevertheless seeking to arrest him on the Massachusetts charges, Mr. Villa turned himself in to local authorities," the statement said. "Mr. Villa intends to plead not guilty at his arraignment in Massachusetts."