A local church staff member was recently arrested and charged with allegedly soliciting a prostitute while attending a family wedding, police in Richmond, Va., said.
His 2-year-old son was with him at the time of arrest, authorities said.
Robert Franco Jr., 30, worked with middle school-aged children at Fellowship Alliance Chapel in Medford until this incident.
“He has been charged with felony child neglect and misdemeanor solicitation of prostitution,” said Dionne Waugh, of the Richmond Police Department’s Public Affairs Unit.
The arrest occurred at approximately 3:30 p.m. on March 9 in the 6500 block of the Midlothian Turnpike on the city’s south side, and was part of a citywide prostitution sting, Waugh said.
“During this particular operation, he was the last of five men arrested,” said Waugh.
Generally, children are not seen very often during prostitution-related arrests, she said.
Brian Snyder, executive pastor at Fellowship Alliance Chapel, said Franco resigned and the church accepted his resignation.
“The church was saddened by the news, but there has also been an outpouring of prayer and love for Rob and his family,” he said in an email to the Medford Sun. “As we have gone through it, we have been reminded of how important it is to focus on the hope we have in Jesus Christ.”
The weekend after the public announcement, Marty Berglund, the church’s senior pastor, “encouraged members to be in prayer for Rob, his family and the church,” Snyder said.
The church held open meetings after each service to discuss and pray as needed, said Snyder.
“We were very sorry to learn about what happened,” Snyder said. “We’re sorry for everyone involved. Rob was a trusted member of our staff, well known and well loved.”
According to Snyder, staff members and volunteers are given reference and background checks on a routine basis.
“Other staff members have known Rob since college, and he worked here nearly a year and a half without concerns ever being raised by the background checks or by anyone in the church,” Snyder said.
The Richmond Police Department’s official Facebook page released a statement about the prostitution sting saying, “Officers arrested 21 women and 13 men, throughout the city. Individuals were charged with misdemeanor prostitution and/or soliciting a prostitute, drug possession and one man, a minister from New Jersey, was also charged with felony child endangerment for having a 2-year-old child with him at the time. One woman was even arrested twice.”
Snyder said that there is no evidence of wrong doing on Franco’s part within the church.
“At this time, we have absolutely no evidence that he ever harmed or acted inappropriately toward anyone from our church, young or old. His arrest is devastating, however, for him, his family, and our church family,” Snyder said.
