Lombard to seek plea deal

A former University official has decided to plead guilty to child sex abuse charges, WRAL reported Tuesday.

Frank Lombard, a former professor and associate director of Duke’s Center for Health Policy, appeared in court Tuesday after the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia filed a criminal information, signaling the U.S. Attorney’s intention to seek a plea deal.

The statutory minimum for sexual exploitation of a minor is 30 years, but Lombard’s plea deal may cut the sentence in half. Lombard was arrested June 24 during a sting operation conducted by the FBI and the Metropolitan Police Department for the District of Columbia’s Child Exploitation Task Force.

According to the arrest affidavit, Lombard allegedly offered an undercover police officer the opportunity to watch him perform sexual acts with his 5-year-old foster child and fly to Durham to have sex with the young boy himself.

Lombard’s attorney could not be reached for comment Tuesday.