DeWitt (WSYR-TV) – A detailed search of Bernie Fine's home unfolded Friday afternoon, as Syracuse police, State troopers, members of the Secret Service and the U.S. Attorney's office joined forces.
A state police spokesperson confirmed that they were called to support the U.S. Attorneys office with an investigation and a search warrant.
Generally, the U.S. Attorney's Office is involved when federal charges are being considered. Often, that includes cases that cross state lines or affect more than one district.
Bobby Davis told Syracuse University officials that he was abused by Fine, an assistant coach on the men's basketball team during road trips with the team in the 1980s and 1990s. But, Deputy Criminal Chief William Pericak, would not reveal why the U.S. Attorney's office was overseeing the search.
Friday's search began in daylight as detectives combed through Bernie Fine's yard, home, even some bins at the end of the driveway.
Several hours later, a police pick-up truck arrived at the scene. Investigators loaded three metal filing cabinets onto the truck. They marked up those items with tape labeled with the word "evidence".
None of the agencies involved in the case would say whether a search warrant signaled a more recent accusation.
Attorney Paul DerOhannesian says sworn allegations of fact are needed to meet guidelines for issuing search warrants.
"A judge has to review those sworn allegations of fact and decide that there is sufficient information which would persuade a reasonable person that there is probable cause that a particular location or scene contains evidence of a crime."
Investigators are permitted to take files to review for evidence later.
Coach Fine could not stop the search warrant, but he can challenge the use of the evidence collected in the future.
Along with Davis, Mike Lang, Davis' step-brother also accused Fine of having sexual contact with him when he was a ball boy with the team alongside Davis.
Their accusations were aired on ESPN's Outside the Lines. According to ESPN, Davis contacted them in 2005, but they could find no one to corroborate his story. When Lang came forward publicly last week, the sports network elected to air the stories of the two men.
