Archbishop Carroll High School Athletic Director Behind Bars On Child Sex Charges

Archbishop Carroll High Athletic Director Behind Bars On Child Sex Charges

April 18, 2011 4:10 PM

Suspect Fran Murphy

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RADNOR, Pa. (CBS) – The Athletic Director at Archbishop Carroll Catholic High School in Radnor is under arrest because authorities say he tried to have a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old male student.

Montgomery County detectives arrested Fran Murphy, 39, in a sting on Friday morning at the “Frosty Falls” ice cream shop in Bridgeport. Murphy thought he was meeting the student in the parking lot there.

Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman says the student, a football player, had recently left Archbishop Carroll for financial reasons, but he left some personal items in his athletic locker. He sent Murphy, who also serves as an assistant football coach, a Facebook message in an effort to retrieve those items, but Ferman says Murphy turned the conversation sexual.

“The coach suggested he could be this boy’s ‘Sugar Daddy,’” Ferman said. “He was offering basically a quid pro quo: ‘I will get you the things that you need if you will engage in these sexual acts with me.’”

Detectives assumed the teen’s identity on Facebook and set up a meeting with Murphy who was arrested at the Bridgeport ice cream shop.

Ferman says Murphy offered to buy the boy gifts or give him cash in exchange for sexual favors. She says county detectives will now comb through Murphy’s computer and phone records looking for any other potential victims.

Murphy is now being held on $250,000 bail and is charged with corruption of minors and unlawful contact with minors. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia says he has been placed on leave as this investigation unfolds. E-mails are going out to school families making them aware of the arrest.

Reported by Suburban Bureau Chief Brad Segall, KYW Newsradio 1060; Ben Simmoneau, CBS 3

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Archbishop Carroll High Athletic Director Behind Bars On Child Sex Charges

Shocked

I am completely in disbelief. I’ve known Mr Murphy for at least 10 years and I could never imagine that he could do something like this. He’s always been a great guy. I won’t believe it until it’s proven.
meme

It would have been nice if the concerned Mother went directly to the coach himself, insead of getting the police involed and ruiining so many lives.
Tom

No need to Catholic bash, the church and priest do a good job of it themselves! LOL and the stupid parishioners keep forking over the money! LOL The blond leading the blind!

tom

should be blind leading the blind! lol Catholic education can’t spell!

Cynthia Patouhas

Investigate the school and his higher ups immediately. I don’t believe the trail
stops here. This is a school crime coverup and has
nothing to do with the Catholic faith. Stick to the topic people and lets
not philosophize this into a silly argument and more catholic bashing.
Guess Who

Damn chicken hawks should be deballed and not allowed anywhere near kids.
It was only a matter of time…

I have heard a lot about the man in the past, and this does not surprise me at all. In fact, what surprises me most is that Archbishop Carroll High School and the Archdiocese didn’t recognize this potential for such behavior in Fran Murphy in the 11+ years that he’s been at Carroll. I blame them for turning a blind eye to it, and knowing them, they would be willing to do so just to keep their athletic teams from suffering. That’s how that school is.
Not surprised at all

Its’ a shame that the Catholic system has become synonymous with child endangerment. The leaders only have themselves to blame.

I find it so interesting that they claim to have done background checks….did they ever do background checks on the clergy?
Lauren Gee

he can’t find a women to do that he have fine a kids to have sex that make me sick he will get his turn next come around goes around
grumpy

Gee, remember the days when this religion looked down on the rest of them?
Concerned

I hope this turns out not to be true…they are having a trial, right?

Peter

Yeah but it’s not looking good with the electronic trail he left.

GG

My school played Archbishop all the time and that guy always seemed like a creep. I’m not surprised. I hope he hasn’t hurt anyone.
Elizabeth Hansen

It’s not about being a priest or the Catholic Church not protecting children. It’s about evil and it’s manifestations in this world. Child sexual predators exist both inside and outside of churches. However, churches are more noticed because those Christian environs are deemed safe places. Satan works hardest on tearing down the Christian churches by influencing the weak. His counterfiet appeals persuade those who are not strong and are seeking to satisfy their own sick pleasures rather than the Lord.

john

elizabeth; unfortunately the catholic church is not christian, but rather based on and rooted in paganism. it is not christian nor are its rituals, or teachings. it is an organization which poses as christian but really, nothing could be further from the truth. it is full of blasphemous rituals and pedophilia has long been a part of that church. do your research, get the facts and get out of that pagan, evil institution.. and if you want the truth, get a real bible, n ot the catholic version and follow christ not the bloody pope and his gang of child molestors

Tom

I am shocked he is not a priest!

Peter

It’s not about being a priest, it’s about the Catholic Church not looking out for kids, making this fertile territory for preditors, be they priests, lay teachers, atheltic coaches, scout leaders, etc.

What sickens me as a parent is that this has nothing to do with gay, straight or maladjusted people. These are individuals who resort to criminal behavior because it is easy to score with a naieve kid than to build a relationship with somebody your own age. So people like this gravitate to anything where young boys and girls are found. Caholic schools, YMCA’s, boy scouts, girl scouts, etc.

Like guns and drugs, this requires zero tolerance.