By Cindy Scharr
Daily Times
April 19, 2011
http://www.delcotimes.com/articles/2011/04/19/news/doc4dacf56296fd7049475156.txt
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RADNOR — After telling an 11th-grade boy exactly what sexual acts he wanted to perform on him, the athletic director at Archbishop Carroll High School went to a Bridgeport ice cream shop for a tryst with the teenager, authorities said.
But instead of the teenage boy, Francis Murphy met up with several Montgomery County detectives who arrested him on the spot.
The 39-year-old Radnor resident is now behind bars on $250,000 cash bail facing charges that include unlawful contact with a minor, promoting prostitution and corruption of minors, according to court records.
In the affidavit of probable cause for Murphy's arrest, Montgomery County law enforcement authorities allege that Murphy solicited an Archbishop Carroll junior for sex, offering to become the teenager's "sugar daddy," a term the high school athlete didn't quite understand.
The exchange between the teenager and athletic director took place on Facebook after the student asked for help getting some items out of his locker, authorities allege.
The student, who was leaving Archbishop Carroll to attend Upper Merion High School, met Murphy when he was in football camp in ninth grade. Murphy, who was the offensive coordinator for Carroll's football team, had recruited the youth to play ball for the Catholic high school.
When Murphy responded to the student's request for help, he made sexually explicit suggestions, court documents indicate.
The student, unfamiliar with the term "sugar daddy," looked it up and became angry. The teenager told Murphy he was not a female and asked how he could think of him that way, the affidavit states.
Murphy's alleged response was, "We should try it out. See how you like. I will hook you up. Must stay between us," the affidavit states.
Murphy went on to explain that he would help the student out with money and other items in exchange for sexual favors, authorities allege. The Facebook message also detailed what sexual acts Murphy wanted to perform on the teenager, the affidavit states.
The student told his mother about the exchange and she called police.
Montgomery County detectives assumed the juvenile's Facebook identity, then contacted Murphy using a new Facebook account.
Murphy began communicating with the detectives, believing they were the teenage boy. In the online exchanges, Murphy continued to seek sexual favors from the teen in exchange for gifts, according to authorities.
"Don't be nervous. I will take care of you," Murphy allegedly wrote on the Facebook exchange.
He also asked the undercover detective posing as the teenager what size spikes he wore before arranging a meeting at the Frost Falls Ice Cream Shop in Bridgeport, Montgomery County.
At 10:30 a.m. Friday, Murphy arrived at the ice cream shop. He was arrested in the parking lot.
Murphy, who had served as the Catholic high school's athletic director since 1999, is being held at Montgomery County prison pending an April 26 preliminary hearing.
On Monday morning, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia released a statement saying Murphy had been placed on administrative leave, pending dismissal. They also noted that all of the required criminal background checks and child abuse clearances were in place.
Murphy, who resides in an apartment complex in the 100 block of East Lancaster Avenue in Radnor, began his coaching career in 1993, and has most recently served as the boys baseball coach and offensive coordinator of the football team. He previously served as an assistant football coach at Kennedy-Kenrick High School in Norristown from 1996-1998.
The archdiocese sent an email to families of Archbishop Carroll students earlier today informing them of Murphy's arrest.
"The letter conveyed to parents how troubling this news is for the members of our school community," said Mary E. Rochford, superintendent of schools for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. "It also reaffirmed our pledge to parents that the prevention of child abuse and protection of children is our primary concern."
During his preliminary arraignment on Friday, Magisterial District Judge James Gallagher ordered that if Murphy posts bail, he is to have no contact with any Archbishop Carroll student.
The archdiocese's Victims' Assistance Office has set up a phone line and email address for anyone who needs assistance with regard to child abuse, 888-800-8780, or philavac@adphila.org.
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