By Phil Drechsler
WCPO [Cincinnati OH]
May 14, 2006
http://www.wcpo.com/wcpo/localshows/iteam/iteam_05142006.html
The following I-Team report began after concerned Catholics asked us to investigate.
Thousands of people who volunteer and coach at Catholic schools may be at risk for identity theft, thanks to a bad hire by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.
In 2003, the Archdiocese began fingerprinting and criminal background checks of all church and school volunteers. but the I-Team finds the person they hired to conduct criminal background checks -- was a criminal himself.
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Confidential information Photo by The WCPO/WCPO.com |
I-Team reporter Laure Quinlivan has the exclusive story. [0]
Laure Quinlivan, I-Team reporter, on set:
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Alex Henties Photo by The WCPO/WCPO.com |
The Archdiocese personnel director knew Alex Henties had a criminal record, and hired him anyway.
He kept him in the job even after parishioners and priests complained. Henties went on to commit more crimes, including stealing from Archdiocese employees.
( ( I-TEAM BONG ) )
(nat bells ring at St. Savior Church)
Laure Quinlivan, I-Team reporter, on tape:
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Henties has a history Photo by The WCPO/WCPO.com |
Laura Murphy agreed to the Archdiocese background check so she could continue to coach and volunteer at St. Savior in Blue Ash. She's an underwriting manager familiar with identity theft.
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Article in Catholic Telegraph Photo by The WCPO/WCPO.com |
Laura Murphy, St. Savior Parishioner, on camera:
"It's the biggest growing crime right now."
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Karis Swanson Photo by The WCPO/WCPO.com |
Laure Quinlivan, I-Team reporter, on tape:
"And how many hours does it take to correct?"
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Swanson allegedly sold laptop computers to pawn shop Photo by The WCPO/WCPO.com |
Laura Murphy, St. Savior Parishioner, on camera:
"Four thousand is the average number."
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Pastor's comment Photo by The WCPO/WCPO.com |
Laure Quinlivan, I-Team reporter, on tape:
Murphy's sister is the church secretary at St. Savior. That's the only way she found out what the Archdiocese is trying to hide.
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Article in Cincinnati Enquirer Photo by The WCPO/WCPO.com |
Laura Murphy, St. Savior Parishioner, on camera:
"I'm shocked. It's a little bit funny the person doing the background checks and the fingerprinting has a background. We gave a lot of personal information and they have a huge responsibility."
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Archbishop's statement Photo by The WCPO/WCPO.com |
Laure Quinlivan, I-Team reporter, on tape:
The I-Team went undercover after the Archdiocese refused our request to videotape their fingerprinting program. We wanted to see how it works.
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Additional allegations Photo by The WCPO/WCPO.com |
Archdiocese Worker, on camera:
"We need all this information filled out."
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Vince Frasher in parking lot Photo by The WCPO/WCPO.com |
Laure Quinlivan, I-Team reporter, on tape:
Their form requires your name, address and social security number. The person who took this personal information and processed the fingerprinting was Alex Henties.
Henties has a long criminal record -- for crack cocaine, menacing, theft and domestic violence.
Mike Hathorn is a Catholic upset with the Archdiocese.
Mike Hathorn, St. Savior Parishioner, on camera:
"Why would they hire an individual with that kind of background to do those kinds of criminal background checks? The question in my mind is, does he have a connection with someone there that's given him the job?"
Laure Quinlivan, I-Team reporter, on tape:
Our investigation finds Henties has a long-time connection with Archdiocese personnel director Vincent Frasher, seen here.
We'll tell your more in a moment. First, how parishioners learned the truth about Alex Henties.
Laure Quinlivan, I-Team reporter, on tape:
In March of 2003 Henties came to a food pantry at this church in Kenwood demanding money. Hathorn says when Henties didn't get what he wanted, he threatened the volunteers. They nearly called police.
Mike Hathorn, St. Savior Parishioner, on camera:
"They feared this man, he scared the you know what out of them."
Laure Quinlivan, I-Team reporter, on tape:
Hathorn says Henties also presented this fax from the Archdiocese claiming Archdiocese support for his request for assistance. Hathorn and others called the Archdiocese to find out if Henties worked there.
Mike Hathorn, St. Savior Parishioner, on camera:
"In two calls, one told me he no longer worked there and another told me that he was on the janitorial staff."
Laure Quinlivan, I-Team reporter, on tape:
Hathorn forgot about Henties until he saw the July 2003 issue of the Catholic Telegraph.
Here's a photo of Alex Henties, head of the Archdiocese's new fingerprinting program.
Laure Quinlivan, I-Team reporter, on camera:
"What was your reaction when you first saw that picture?"
Mike Hathorn, St. Savior Parishioner, on camera:
"I couldn't believe it."
Laure Quinlivan, I-Team reporter, on tape:
So he and others did some research.
Laure Quinlivan, I-Team reporter, on camera, at computer:
"Concerned parishioners got on the Internet and went to the Hamilton County Clerk of Courts website to look up Alex Henties."
Laure Quinlivan, I-Team reporter, on tape:
They found Alex Henties has a long criminal record, dating back to 1996, theft; '97 menacing. 2003? Violating a protective order, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
The same month he appeared in the Telegraph, Henties filed domestic violence charges against the mother of his child, Karis Swanson.
Parishioners found she also had a long criminal record for theft and drugs and forgery.
Laure Quinlivan, I-Team reporter, on tape:
That was enough for the pastor at St. Savior.
Reverend Pat Crone says he phoned Archdiocese personnel director Vince Frasher on July 3 -- and again on July 14 -- urging him to remove Alex Henties as head of the fingerprint program.
Father Crone says, "Vince Frasher told me, 'He's changed? It's all fine.' He blew it off."
Father Crone banned Henties from St. Savior and spread the word.
That's how parish leaders at All Saints found out the man sent to fingerprint their parishioners had a criminal record.
All Saints' religion director wrote Archbishop Pilarczyk on September 12 to make sure he knew what was going on.
(graphic of letter from Archbishop Pilarczyk)
He wrote back September 19.
"It seems to me we need to be able to give people a chance to do right after they've done wrong."
Laure Quinlivan, I-Team reporter, on tape:
Hathorn says the Archdiocese does not extend the same chance to parish volunteers with a criminal record.
Mike Hathorn, St. Savior Parishioner, on camera:
"Where's the forgiveness for that person? He's not allowed to coach."
Laure Quinlivan, I-Team reporter, on tape:
Henties continued to commit crimes while working for the Archdiocese.
(graphic)
Police arrested Henties twice in July 2005 for using crack cocaine, then again in August.
Look who bailed him out -- his boss Vincent Frasher.
Records indicate the two shared the same address on North Bend Road for many months.
Laure Quinlivan, I-Team reporter, on tape, in Montgomery:
Our investigation finds Frasher's relationship with Henties goes back to 1983.
That's when Frasher and another man moved into this house, right next door to the Henties family.
Alex's father and brother tell us Alex claims Vince Frasher abused him when he was young.
They say he's also told them he's continued to have sex with Frasher over the years, in exchange for money, clothes and jobs.
Laure Quinlivan, I-Team reporter, on tape:
Henties told the same thing to this woman who doesn't want to be identified. She's known Henties four years. (video of woman)
Laure Quinlivan, I-Team reporter, on camera:
"What did Alex specifically say to you about Vince Frasher?"
Woman, on camera:
"He depended on him for his money and car and different things like that."
Laure Quinlivan, I-Team reporter, on tape:
In August 2005, Henties stole a diamond ring, cash and gift cards from a home in Terrace Park.
It's the home of Archdiocese employee Sarah Frohmiller.
She says Vince Frasher was housesitting for her the day Henties committed theft.
Sarah Frohmiller, Archdiocese Employee, on tape:
"Yes, he did steal the items."
Laure Quinlivan, I-Team reporter, on tape:
In a taped interview with Terrace Park police Henties talks about Vince Frasher.
Voice of Alex Henties, on tape:
"Vince gave me permission to go into the house. The guy has screwed me up time and time again. Not only that, the guy has about 2,200 nude photos of me at different times growing up and I have no idea where they went. And he put me on Ebay, modeling Speedos and naked s***. He sold me time and time again. There's a sick man."
Laure Quinlivan, I-Team reporter, on tape:
No one from the Archdiocese would answer questions, including Vince Frasher.
Laure Quinlivan, I-Team reporter, on camera:
"Why did you hire somebody with a criminal record to run the Archdiocese fingerprinting program?"
Vince Frasher, Archdiocese Personnel Director, on camera:
"Why do you have your divorce records sealed?"
Laure Quinlivan, I-Team reporter, on camera:
"Did you have a sexual relationship with Alex Henties?"
Vince Frasher, Archdiocese Personnel Director, on camera:
"Are you blocking my way?"
Laure Quinlivan, I-Team reporter, on camera:
"Mr. Frasher, just answer a couple questions for Catholics who want to know."
Laure Quinlivan, I-Team reporter, on camera:
Catholics may also want to know more about why 10,000 volunteers must now go through training again.
The Archdiocese blames "poor record keeping."
But here's another possible reason. The laptop computers used by Henties were stolen in October 2005.
Police records show Henties' girlfriend pawned the computers at Cash America.
Laura Murphy, St. Savior Parishioner, on camera:
"That's extremely scary."
Laure Quinlivan, I-Team reporter, on camera:
"What do you think the Archdiocese should do now to make this right?"
Laura Murphy, St. Savior Parishioner, on camera:
"I think that offering some type of credit monitoring would be a very good thing, so that for a year or so they watch out for our credit and let us know if something is being misused -- a credit's opened we didn't apply for."
Laure Quinlivan, I-Team reporter, on camera:
"So they can do that?"
Laura Murphy, St. Savior Parishioner, on camera:
"There are national services for not a very expensive fee, they can do it."
Laure Quinlivan, I-Team reporter, on tape:
Mike Hathorn says they can also do this. Remove the man who put Catholics at risk because of his relationship with Alex Henties.
Mike Hathorn, St. Savior Parishioner, on camera:
"He should not be in that position."
( ( I-TEAM BONG ) )
Laure Quinlivan, I-Team reporter, on set:
Alex Henties' crime spree came to an end in January. He crashed his car in Blue Ash after leading police on a 60-minute high speed chase.
A judge sent Henties to prison for this, plus another cocaine conviction last month. Henties is serving a two-year sentence.
9News Anchor, on set:
Has the Archdiocese fired Alex Henties?
Laure Quinlivan, I-Team reporter, on set:
We're not sure because the Archdiocese refuses to answer any of our questions. However, sources say they got this e-mail from Vince Frasher Friday in which he claims he fired Henties nine months ago.
9News Anchor, on set:
Does he admit a sexual relationship with Henties?
Laure Quinlivan, I-Team reporter, on set:
The day we approached him in the parking lot, Frasher said he never had a sexual relationship with Henties and said he had a signed letter from Henties saying so.
Frasher declined to give us that letter.
To help you further understand this story we've posted four items on our website: the rest of my conversation with Vince Frasher; our questions for the Archdiocese; their response; and Vince Frasher's e-mail to priests and deacons in its entirety.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.