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u.s. news Dialuna 4 aPRil 2022

Civilian Army leader led child porn ring, risked US security

(AP) — David Frodsham ing child pornography to the Public relations officials at
was a top civilian com- internet. Among the victims Fort Huachuca confirmed
mander at a U.S. air base was one of Frodsham’s ad- that Frodsham was a program
in Afghanistan when he opted sons manager for NETCOM be-
“jokingly” asked an IT fore he was arrested on child
technician for access to Frodsham pleaded guilty to sex abuse charges. They de-
YouPorn, the video-shar- sex abuse charges in 2016 and clined to say whether Frod-
ing pornographic website. is serving a 17-year sentence. sham was disciplined after
But records reviewed by the returning from Afghanistan,
During his time in the war AP show that the U.S. Army or whether the Army ever
zone, Frodsham told one and the state of Arizona considered him a security
woman that he hired her be- missed or ignored multiple risk.
cause he “wanted to be sur- red flags over more than a
rounded by pretty women,” decade, which allowed Frod- Frodsham, former Sgt. Ran-
and routinely called others sham to allegedly abuse his dall Bischak and a third man
“honey,” “babe,” and “cou- adopted son and other chil- not associated with the Army
gar” before he was ordered dren for years, all the while are all serving prison terms
home after the military veri- putting national security at for the roles they played in
fied multiple allegations of risk. the child sex abuse ring. But
sexual harassment. the investigation is continu-
The state permitted Frod- ing because Sierra Vista po-
“I would not recommend sham and his wife, Barbara, lice believe additional men
placing him back into a posi- to foster, adopt and retain took part.
tion of authority but rather custody of their many chil-
pursuing disciplinary actions dren despite nearly 20 com- Now, the criminal investiga- abuse. putting hot sauce in their
at his home station,” wrote plaints, and attempted com- tion is spilling over into civil mouths, pulling them by the
one commanding officer plaints, of abuse, neglect, court, where two of Frod- Trever’s allegations echo hair, bending their fingers
when recommending that maltreatment and licensing sham’s adopted sons have those featured in an earlier back to inflict pain, forcing
the Army order Frodsham to violations. Meanwhile, the filed separate lawsuits against lawsuit filed by his older bio- them to hold cans with their
leave his post at Bagram Air- Army gave Frodsham secu- the state for licensing David logical brother, Ryan Frod- arms extended for long peri-
field and return to Fort Hua- rity clearances and sensitive and Barbara Frodsham as fos- sham, and one filed by Neal ods time,” and refusing to let
chuca, a major Army installa- jobs at a time when his illicit ter parents in a home where Taylor, both of whom were them use the bathroom un-
tion in Arizona, according to sexual practices made him they say they were physically also adopted into the Frod- less the door remained open.
a U.S. Army investigative file vulnerable to blackmail. and sexually abused through- sham household. In his AP interview, Ryan
obtained by The Associated out their lives. said Barbara never sexually
Press. “He would have been an ob- In an interview with the abused him but walked into
vious target of foreign intelli- A third adopted son filed AP, Ryan Frodsham said his the room where David was
But when Frodsham re- gence services because of his suit Tuesday in Arizona state adoptive father began sexu- abusing him at least twice.
turned to his home station role and his location,” said court in Cochise County, ally abusing him when he
in fall 2015, he rejoined the Frank Figliuzzi, the former said attorney Lynne Cadigan, was 9 or 10 years old and “She knew what was going
Network Enterprise Tech- assistant director of coun- who represents all three. In the abuse continued into his on,” he said.
nology Command, the Ar- terintelligence for the FBI. the latest complaint, 19-year- teens, when David Frod-
my’s information technology “Fort Huachuca is one of the old Trever Frodsham says sham began offering his son’s The lawsuits and related le-
service provider, where he more sensitive installations case workers missed or over- sexual services to other men. gal filings also say investiga-
had served as director of per- in the continental United looked numerous signs that “Makes me throw up think- tors with the Department of
sonnel for a global command States. People with security David and Barbara Frodsham ing about it,” Ryan said. Child Safety and case work-
of 15,000 soldiers and civil- issues should not be there.” were unfit parents. These in- ers with Catholic Commu-
ians, according to his Army In addition to NETCOM, cluded a 2002 sex abuse com- In his lawsuit, Ryan Frod- nity Services, which subcon-
resume. where Frodsham worked, plaint filed with local police sham said the state was in- tracts foster and adoption
Fort Huachuca is home to a by one of the Frodshams’ bi- formed that David and Bar- work from the state, failed
By spring of the following contingent of the Army’s In- ological daughters against an bara Frodsham were physi- to effectively follow up on
year, he was arrested in Ari- telligence and Security Com- older biological brother, and cally abusing their children 19 complaints and attempt-
zona for leading a child sex mand, according to its web- the fact that David and Bar- “by slapping them in the ed complaints regarding the
abuse ring that included an site. bara Frodsham were them- face, pinching them, hitting Frodsham home spanning
Army sergeant who was post- selves victims of child sex them with a wooden spoon, more than a decade.

Battle heats up over remaining federal rental assistance

(AP) - In her office at a non- cause they have so few renters — but Treasury announced earlier this either voluntarily returned money or
profit in central Nebraska, Karen only Nebraska has flat out refused the month that over $1 billion of ERA1 had it taken. Some, like South Da-
Rathke routinely encounters resi- aid. funds would be moved, for a total kota, Wyoming and New Hampshire,
dents still stung by the pandemic of $2.3 billion reallocated this year. unsuccessfully pitched to use the
and hoping to get help with their The debate is playing out across the Larger states like California, New money for other things like afford-
rent. country as the Treasury Department York, New Jersey and Texas are get- able housing.
begins reallocating some of the $46.5 ting hundreds of millions of dollars
Rathke, president of the Heartland billion in rental assistance from places in additional money. Native Ameri- Treasury officials, housing advocates
United Way, was hoping to tap into slow to spend to others that are run- can tribes, including the Oglala Sioux and many Republican governors ar-
an additional $120 million in federal ning out of funds. Lakota in South Dakota and Chip- gue there is still plenty of money to
Emergency Rental Assistance to help pewa Cree in Montana, are also re- help renters in these states and that
them. But that money, part of what’s States and localities have until Sep- ceiving tens of millions of dollars in the reallocation gets money where
known as ERA2, is at risk after Re- tember to spend their share of the additional help. it’s most needed. Montana, for ex-
publican Gov. Pete Ricketts said he first $25 billion allocated, known as ample, returned $54.6 million but
doesn’t want it. ERA1, and the second $21.55 bil- Those losing money are almost all still has $224.5 million. West Virginia
lion, known as ERA2, by 2025. So smaller Republican states with large returned more than $42.4 million but
Many other states have in recent far, Treasury says $30 billion has been rural populations and fewer renters. still has $224.7 million, according to
months returned tens of millions of spent or allocated through February. Many were slow to spend their share Treasury.
dollars in unused rental assistance be- as required by program rules, so they