Seattle U. prof held in online sex sting

A Seattle University professor was arrested in Colorado Friday and charged with intended sexual contact with an underage girl he'd met online.

Andrew Douglas Franz, 41, was arrested by a Fremont County, Colo., investigative team when he flew into a town near Colorado Springs, said Canon City police.

Franz, of Kent, traveled to meet an underage girl he had been corresponding with online, police said.

Franz had actually been corresponding with members of the Fremont County Combined Investigative Response Team, a law-enforcement team that focuses on Internet crimes against children.

Franz is being held at the Fremont County Detention Center in lieu of $50,000 bond, police said. He has been charged with seven felonies and one misdemeanor, including sexual assault on a child, soliciting for child prostitution, inducement of child prostitution and trafficking in children.

Franz was the Special Forces captain for the Reserve Officer Training Corps at Seattle University, where he's worked since 2000. He is scheduled to return to active duty with the National Guard in June and to deploy to Iraq in August, according to a statement from the university.

Franz unsuccessfully ran as a Republican for state representative in the 47th District in Kent in 2006. He campaigned partly on a platform of an extensive and honorable military career.

Seattle University Provost John Eshelman sent an e-mail to students, faculty and staff Tuesday night informing them of Franz's arrest.

Eshelman said the university is cooperating with Colorado law enforcement. He also called for the Army to end Franz's assignment with the university.

"Our university policy is clear: We have zero tolerance of any sexual abuse of a minor," Eshelman wrote.

Haley Edwards: 206-464-2745 or hedwards@seattletimes.com