MCCANDLESS — A Pittsburgh Public Schools principal accused of exposing himself to a 17-year-old boy in a health club sauna and asking if he could perform sex acts on the youth has been placed on leave, school officials said.

James Ecker, the defense attorney for Alfonzo Deluliis, 37, acknowledged the charges look “extremely bad” but added, “hopefully, things will look better by the end. We’re looking forward to the trial.”

Deluliis was sent home from the Brookline PreK-8 school when the district learned of the charges Tuesday, school officials said.

Police in McCandless Township charged Deluliis with indecent assault, indecent exposure and other crimes stemming from the alleged incident Aug. 12.

That’s when police say the defendant fondled himself before touching the boy’s leg and making the sexual offer. The boy went home and told his mother, who reported it to the health club, but management couldn’t immediately identify the alleged perpetrator. When the boy returned to the health club Monday, he saw Deluliis again in the sauna and reported him to the club’s management who called police.