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	Archdiocese Faces New Charge Director of Personnel Fired Employee Who Now Claims Sex Abuse By Dan Horn Cincinnati Enquirer May 18, 2006 http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060518/NEWS01/605180368/1077 The Archdiocese of Cincinnati launched an investigation Wednesday into a sexual-abuse allegation against its personnel director. Church officials said they hired a private investigator after a fired church employee accused Vince Frasher, his former boss, of abusing him when he was young. The accusations were broadcast Sunday in a report on WCPO-TV (Channel 9). The report quoted a police interview with Frasher's accuser, Alex Henties, in which Henties claims Frasher abused him. Henties, 32, said the abuse took place while he was growing up in Montgomery and continued for several years. Church officials say Frasher, who is on vacation and could not be reached, denies the allegations. They say they also have a letter, signed by Henties in April, denying any abuse took place. The archdiocese quoted a portion of that letter Wednesday: "I have never been abused in such a way as this and have never been abused by Vince whatsoever or at all." Church spokesman Dan Andriacco said the archdiocese notified Hamilton County prosecutors of the allegation and will conduct its own investigation. He said Frasher has not been suspended, but his status depends on the outcome of the investigation. "We don't know where the investigation is going to be when he gets back" from vacation in two weeks, Andriacco said. Prosecutors declined comment Wednesday. Henties worked for the archdiocese from 2003 to 2005 as the coordinator of the church's fingerprinting program, which conducts background checks on all church employees and volunteers. Henties had a criminal record - a theft conviction - when he was hired. But Frasher and other church officials have said in statements that they were willing to give him a second chance. Frasher fired Henties nine months ago. Henties now is in prison on theft-related charges. Church officials say Henties told them a friend took two church computers and sold them while he was employed by the archdiocese. But they say the computers did not contain personal information related to background checks. "There has never been any accusation that personal information of a person being fingerprinted by the archdiocese has been misused," Frasher said in a written statement to priests last week. Andriacco said the church also would investigate the background-check program to make sure no information was compromised. He said church officials believe the information is secure. E-mail dhorn@enquirer.com
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