Taste Life TV Chef Formally Charged with Three Counts of Sexual Battery Against Child and Multiple Other Crimes
On September 2, prosecutors formally filed eight charges against Chef Enrico Alaggia, 40.
Alaggia is charged with one count of traveling to meet a child for unlawful sexual contact after online solicitation, three counts of sexual battery against a 12-to-17 year-old victim, one count of robbery by sudden snatching, two counts of hindering police communications and one count of using a two-way communications device to facilitate a felony. If found guilty, he could spend the rest of his life in prison.
Alaggia is a chef on the Taste Life TV program. He’s originally from Rome, Italy and reportedly has ties to South Florida.
Taste Life TV has been unresponsive to requests for comment. Alaggia remains listed as a chef on their website.
On July 12, Gainesville Police Department officers arrested Alaggia and he remains in jail under a pretrial detention order.
According to the arrest report, Alaggia met the victim via a dating app. Alaggia picked the victim up in his truck and drove her to the Hilton Homewood Suites.
At 5:23 p.m., Alaggia entered the hotel through the main entrance and checked in. He then left and reentered through a side entrance with the victim which was captured on surveillance. The two entered the hotel room together and began kissing, and the victim said she did not want to have sex. Alaggia reportedly sexually battered her twice.
After this, Alaggia drove to the store and provided the victim with alcohol. The two were then seen returning to the hotel room on surveillance.
According to the arrest report, Alaggia asked the victim about her age and she said 18. Alaggia further questioned the victim’s real age and she acknowledged she was 16. Alaggia then began threatening to kill himself and the victim said she would call the police. Alaggia reportedly snatched the victim’s phone from her hand in response and put it in his pocket, hindering her from communicating with police. 911 dispatchers received a “911 hangup” from the victim’s cell phone. Alaggia reportedly made the victim “pinky promise” to not tell police before returning her phone.
Alaggia then drove the victim to McDonald's and purchased her food. The victim advised that Alaggia was looking for a parking lot to have sex with her. Video surveillance captured Alaggia’s vehicle driving by multiple businesses through empty parking lots and secluded non-customer facing loading areas. He reportedly stopped somewhere in Butler Plaza and told the victim he wished she was 18 before climbing into the backseat and raping her.
Alaggia reportedly admitted to sexually engaging with the victim even after learning she was underage. Alaggia claimed that he “felt blackmailed” by the victim to engage in intercourse.
Alaggia has a case management hearing scheduled for October 13. Prosecutors have initiated the legal process of providing evidence (discovery) to the defense so they can properly prepare for trial. Prosecutors have indicated that if the case proceeds to trial they will call multiple GPD officers and members of the UF Child Protection Team as witnesses.
