Zach Tomaselli, the third man to bring forth allegations of molestation against Bernie Fine, is reporting to have obtained a temporary order of protection from harassment against the former associate men’s basketball coach Monday.

The filing of the order was reported by The Post-Standard on Monday. That same day, The Post-Standard reported that Tomaselli later told reporters he fabricated the documents. Controversy continues to surround the issue, and Tomaselli has spoken out against The Post-Standard’s second article.

Filing a knowingly false complaint is a criminal offense subject to prosecution.

Tomaselli, 23, of Lewiston, Maine, emailed what he said is a copy of the order to The Daily Orange. In the document, he said Fine repeatedly called him on both his home phone and cellphone in attempts to intimidate him.

Fine is prohibited from having any direct or indirect contact with Tomaselli and is prohibited from ‘threatening, assaulting, molesting, harassing, or otherwise disturbing the peace’ of Tomaselli, according to the document sent to The Daily Orange.

‘The defendant Bernie Fine is trying to intimidate me at all costs and will not stop unless ordered to,’ Tomaselli wrote, according to the copy of the document.

Tomaselli additionally wrote in the affidavit for protection from abuse and harassment that Fine has been contacting him to ‘harass, terrorize, and intimidate’ him ‘at all costs.’ He also wrote that Fine said he will never be found guilty, and he will make Tomaselli ‘pay dearly’ for reporting Fine to investigators, according to the order.

The order was filed at the Lewiston District Court. A hearing on Tomaselli’s complaint will take place at the same court March 6, according to the document.

Fine, who was fired from the university Nov. 27, has denied the allegations and has not been charged. Federal agents and the Syracuse Police Department continue to investigate the allegations.

meltagou@syr.edu

—Staff Writer Michael Cohen contributed reporting to this article.  

Published on February 6, 2012 at 12:00 pm

Contact Marwa: meltagou@syr.edu | @marwaeltagouri