Police seek man in boys’ molestations

Jen Lawson

Thursday, Jan. 22, 2004 | 11:12 a.m.

Last summer, when allegations surfaced that Darin J. Franklin, a youth group volunteer at First Good Shepherd Lutheran Church had offered boys money to expose themselves, Senior Pastor Greg Mech banned him from working with children, Mech said Wednesday.

The charges were dropped for lack of evidence, but "just the suspicion of it was enough," Mech said, so his rule still stood.

But Mech had no idea 40-year-old Franklin had circumvented him and was inviting boys from the church, at 301 S. Maryland Parkway, to his home, near Rainbow Boulevard and Cheyenne Avenue, allegedly plying them with alcohol and molesting them.

Metro Police issued a warrant for Franklin's arrest Wednesday, charging him with sexual assault of a victim under 16, lewdness with a minor under 14 and statutory sexual seduction.

"One is shocked, of course," Mech said, "but as soon as it became fairly evident that there was something behind it, the shock turned to rage and I thank God that justice is not in my hands."

Police are searching for Franklin, who might be in California, Lt. Jeff Carlson of Metro's sexual assault section said.

According to Franklin's arrest warrant obtained by the Sun, Detective T. Barrett got a call from a 31-year-old man on Jan. 12 who said he overheard his roommate, Franklin, tell someone on the phone that he had given an 11-year-old boy an alcoholic drink and had fondled him.

He told police he thought the boy Franklin was describing lived on a street near West Cheyenne Avenue and North Rancho Drive.

Police found and interviewed the 11-year-old boy and his 14-year-old brother. The older boy said he had visited Franklin's house three or four times and that he had met him through the church.

While at his house watching football on Jan. 4, Franklin showed him a pornographic magazine and dared him to perform "naked tricks."

Franklin gave the 14-year-old $10 to run naked down the driveway, the arrest report says.

In his interview with detectives, the 11-year-old said Franklin spoke to him inappropriately and gave him $5 for letting Franklin fondle him.

While at Franklin's house with his brother Jan. 4, the 11-year-old said Franklin gave him a Smirnoff Ice alcoholic beverage, then when the two were alone, the boy said Franklin persuaded the boy into the bathroom where he fondled him again.

Detectives and a marked patrol unit went to Franklin's house the next day and saw someone peek out a window, but no one came to the door.

Detective A. Chavez notified Mech, the pastor, on Jan. 14 of their investigation and Mech said he would contact him if any more possible victims came forward.

"I tried to find out who had been invited to his home and tried to get in touch with every parent," Mech said.

Later that day Chavez learned that a 15-year-old boy may have been victimized by Franklin about a year and a half ago.

The boy told detectives that in June 2002, Franklin gave him an alcoholic drink then offered him $20 if the boy would let Franklin molest him, and the boy consented. It happened again six months later, and the boy said he agreed to the act because he was scared.

On Monday, Barrett reached Franklin on Franklin's cell phone and spoke to him about the allegations.

Franklin admitted that what he did was wrong, but said "he was teaching the boys about sex" so they would know what to do with women when they get older, the warrant says.

Franklin said he was contemplating suicide so that the victims would not have to testify in court, the warrant says. He blamed his behavior on drug use.

He told Barrett he couldn't come in for an interview because he was trying to get money from relatives to hire a lawyer,

A police records search showed Franklin had been arrested in July 2003 for soliciting a minor, open and gross lewdness and burglary.

In that case, he offered boys money to expose themselves, the warrant says. The charges were dropped due to insufficient evidence.

Franklin called Barrett on Tuesday and asked for more time before speaking with police because he was still contacting relatives and friends.

He told police that he had a gun and if pulled over by police "it would be a bloodbath."

After that, police obtained a warrant for Franklin's arrest, charging him with sex offenses involving the boys.

Police think that Franklin, who is from Ventura, Calif., might be in that state. He is driving a gray four-door 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck bearing Nevada registration 194NFF.

Franklin has volunteered at the church for about seven years in various capacities, Mech said, including working as an assistant to the youth director.

After he found out about the prior allegations in July, Mech told Franklin he "wasn't allowed to be in touch with kids, period," he said. "I never suspected that he would be inviting kids to his home ... I had no hint of it."

Earlier this week, after police told him about the new allegations, Mech told Franklin he would no longer allow him to volunteer at the church.

"It's not an easy thing for a pastor to do," Mech said. "He seemed stunned. He was visibly pale."

Mech said he and other church members thought of Franklin, who works as a building inspector, as "an extremely generous, almost childlike man."

He gave money to good causes, helped with church car washes and went on Christmas caroling outings. He was one of several adults who chaperoned children on a trip to California.

"To have someone cynically use (the church) in order to recruit victims is infuriating," Mech said.

The church doesn't require volunteers to undergo background checks, but after this, Mech said it sounds like a wise idea.

He said counseling through the church is available for the children who have been victimized.

"All of us are devastated by this," Mech said. "The biggest thing isn't that he slipped by us. It's that kids who are part of our community have been harmed."

Mech said he hopes Franklin will surrender to authorities.

"I hope he would realize that he can't hide, and that also that no other children should have to go through this."

Anyone with information on Franklin or his whereabouts is asked to call the sexual assault section at 229-3421, victim advocate Lora Rinaldi at 229-5703 at Metro's crimes against youth and family or Crime Stoppers at 385-5555.