Gag order put on Villalobos case; Musician charged with assault.

• Position: LOCAL NEWS

Byline: Aaron Nicodemus

SHREWSBURY - A Westboro District Court judge has issued a gag order in the case of a world-renowned musician accused of indecent assault and battery on a teenage girl from Shrewsbury.

Judge Paul S. Waickowski granted the request for a gag order in the case of Cesar C. Villalobos, 47, of Cambridge, the founder and lead singer of the traditional Andean musical band, Inca Son.

Judge Waickowski's gag order prevents any court official, law enforcement official or lawyer from commenting on the case to the media. Francisco Napolitano, Mr. Villalobos' lawyer, made the request because of the publicity surrounding Mr. Villalobos' arrest. News accounts of charges against Mr. Villalobos appeared in the Telegram & Gazette, and in the Cambridge Chronicle, a weekly newspaper in Mr. Villalobos' hometown.

Mr. Napolitano made the request, but refused to comment on it yesterday.

"I believe the judge's intent here was clear. I'm sorry, I can't help you," he said.

Judge Waickowski denied a change of venue request by Mr. Napolitano and has requested a jury trial for later this year. A jury trial on the indecent assault and battery charge against Mr. Villalobos has been scheduled in Westboro District Court for July 17. Since Mr. Napolitano's request falls under the gag order, court records do not indicate in which court he and his client would have preferred the case to be heard.

The charge of indecent assault and battery on a person age 14 or over stemmed from a Shrewsbury girl's allegations that Mr. Villalobos made unwanted sexual advances to her in December. The teenager's age was not released, but court records indicate she is between the ages of 14 and 17. In court records, the victim told police Mr. Villalobos has known her since she was 4.

Inca Son, which performs traditional Andean music while members wear traditional garb, has performed hundreds of times in its 15-year existence, including with the Boston Pops, at the 2002 Winter Olympics, and for Presidents Carter and Clinton. The band has played locally at...