By Bonnie L. Cook
Philadelphia Inquirer
April 19, 2011
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/pennsylvania/120185379.html
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| Francis Murphy is charged with seeking sexual favors. |
Archbishop Carroll High School's athletic director has been charged with seeking sexual favors from a former male student in exchange for gifts, Montgomery County officials announced Monday.
Francis Murphy, 39, of the 1000 block of Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr, was arrested Friday morning at the Frosty Falls Ice Cream Shop in Bridgeport when he went to what he reportedly thought was a meeting with the youth for sex.
Instead, he found Montgomery County detectives, who took him into custody at 10:35.
Murphy, a coach starting from 1993 and since 1999 athletic director at the parochial school in Radnor Township, was charged with unlawful contact with a minor, promoting prostitution, and attempted corruption of minors. He was arraigned Friday before a district justice and was being held at the Montgomery County prison on $250,000 cash bail.
Murphy can have no contact with minors or students from Archbishop Carroll, according to court papers. Archdiocesan spokeswoman Donna Farrell said the school had placed him on administrative leave pending the outcome of the case.
Farrell said Murphy most recently served as boys' baseball coach and offensive coordinator of the football team.
She said he previously was the boys' baseball coach and assistant football coach at Kennedy-Kenrick High School from 1996 to 1998. All required criminal background checks and child-abuse clearances were in place, Farrell said.
In a letter e-mailed to Carroll parents Monday, officials "reaffirmed our pledge to parents that the prevention of child abuse and protection of children is our primary concern."
District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman said at a news briefing in Norristown that Murphy recruited the student at a football camp in ninth grade to attend Carroll.
Now in 11th grade, the youth left the school for financial reasons, Ferman said. He contacted Murphy via Facebook for help in getting his cleats out of the locker room, she said.
Murphy agreed, but the talk turned sexual when Murphy offered the boy gifts such as sneakers and athletic gear in exchange for letting Murphy be his "sugar daddy," Ferman said.
She called Murphy's proposed arrangement between himself and the boy "a quid pro quo."
The boy told his mother and detectives took over, establishing another Facebook account to communicate with Murphy, Ferman said.
There was never any sexual contact between the two, only the "offer of any ongoing relationship," Ferman said.
The district attorney said her office knew of no other people whom Murphy might have targeted, but added that the investigation was ongoing.
"Certainly, we will look to see if there are any other victims out there with similar acts," Ferman said.
Contact staff writer Bonnie L. Cook at 610-313-8232 or bcook@phillynews.com
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