The Spectator
Professor arrested on sex charges
By Chris Kissel, News Editor
A Seattle
University military
science professor was arrested Friday on charges relating to intended sexual
contact with a child.
Professor and Army National Guard Major Andrew Franz was
apprehended in Fremont County, Colorado and was being held at the Fremont
County Detention Center on a $50,000 bail, said Sgt. Jeff Worley of the Cañon
City Police Department, which is conducting the investigation.
The Fremont County Combined Investigative Response Team
arrested Franz on charges resulting from an Internet Crimes Against Children
unit investigation.
Franz was charged with felony counts of criminal
solicitation, enticement of a child, sexual assault on a child, trafficking in
children, soliciting for child prostitution, pandering of a child and
inducement of child prostitution, as well as a misdemeanor charge for unlawful
sexual contact, according to Worley.
Franz allegedly flew from Washington to Fremont
County, about 60 miles outside Colorado Springs, to have
sex with an underage female. Instead, Franz was met by
investigators.
Seattle University Provost John Eshelman sent out a
school-wide e-mail Tuesday evening to inform the university community of the
arrest.
“The university is cooperating with Colorado law enforcement authorities in
their handling of the case,” said Eshelman in the e-mail. Seattle U
administrators were unavailable for comment.
Franz is currently on contract from the U.S. Army to teach
military science at Seattle
U. The contract was set
up through Communications Technologies, or COMTek.
“I have directed the Army to end Franz’s assignment with the
university,” said Eshelman.
Eshelman’s announcement was the first many on campus had
heard of the arrest.
“I was frankly very astonished by the e-mail,” said Audrey
Hudgins, assistant dean for the College
of Arts and Science.
Last year, Franz worked directly under Hudgins, who was the
chair of Seattle University’s military science department
for three years until this past July.
Along with his teaching duties at Seattle
University, Franz campaigned in 2006 for
a seat on the Washington State House of Representatives in his hometown of Kent. According to Hudgins, Franz had an extensive
military career, serving in the Army for “about 18 years,” including a year of
service in Iraq
in 2003.
Franz, who married his wife in April, has taken a leave from
teaching for the last few weeks in preparation for a return to active duty. According
to Hudgins, Franz’s unit is slated to leave for Iraq in August.
According to the Cañon City Daily Record, formal charges
will be filed against Franz on May 27.
Chris can be reached at kisselc@seattleu.edu