Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

Duke health director arrested on child sex charges
By Staff reports
The Duke Chronicle, Duke
June 27, 2009

Frank Lombard, associate director of the Health Inequalities Program at Duke's Global Health Institute, was arrested and charged Wednesday for soliciting an adult to have sex with his 5-year-old adopted child, according to a FBI news release Friday.

An affidavit for Lombard's arrest obtained by WRAL indicated that an informant, also facing charges of sexual abuse against a child, tipped off the FBI to his activities.

Lombard was caught when he tried to convince a man he met online-who he did not know at the time was undercover detective Timothy Palchak of the Washington Metropolitan Police Department-to come to North Carolina to have sex with his son, the affidavit said. Lombard admitted to the detective online that he had molested his child, according to reports by the Associated Press.

The SBI, FBI, Washington D.C. metropolitan Police Department and the Durham Police Department all participated in his arrest following the Internet sting.

Lombard faces the federal charge of attempting to induce someone to cross state lines in order to commit a sexual offense and could go to prison for up to 20 years, if he is found guilty.

Mike Schoenfeld, vice president for public affairs and government relations, said University officials learned Wednesday night that Lombard had been arrested. He said Lombard, who has been employed by Duke since 1999, was immediately placed on unpaid administrative leave.

Schoenfeld added that he could not comment further due to the ongoing nature of the FBI investigation.

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