Duke fires employee accused of child sex offenses

By: Erin Hartness

Durham, N.C. — Duke University has fired an employee who faces federal child sex charges. Frank M. Lombard, 42, of 24 Indigo Creek Trail in Durham, was let go from his position as associate director of the Center for Health Policy at Duke, a spokesman said.

Duke Vice President for Public Affairs Michael Schoenfeld said Lombard was placed on unpaid leave at the time of his arrest June 24 and was fired Monday. Schoenfeld added that the university was cooperating with the investigation.

Lombard faces extradition to Washington, D.C., to face charges that he solicited an adult to have sex with his adopted 5-year-old child.

Officers of Washington's Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI’s Charlotte Division worked together to investigate claims against Lombard.

According to the affidavit for his arrest, an undercover officer from the Washington police identified Lombard through an Internet sting.

A search warrant filed for Lombard's house further outlines the case against him and includes a transcript of the chat between an undercover officer and "F.L."

In the chat, "F.L.” told the officer that abusing the child was "easier when he was too young to know what was happening and when he couldn't talk ...He had a little too much Benadryl. Was knocked out."

In a subsequent online chat, the warrant says, “F.L.” invited the officer to fly to Durham to have sexual contact with the child. He even suggested a hotel.

Lombard faces a federal charge of attempting to induce someone to cross state lines to engage in a sexual offense. He was being held without bond at the Durham County jail Friday. A conviction would carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.