A former Duke University administrator facing a sex crime charge involving his adopted 5-year-old son will likely plead guilty later this month.
The U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington formally charged Frank Lombard on Tuesday with sexual exploitation of a minor, a felony that carries with it a 15-year prison sentence.
The charge comes in lieu of a grand jury indictment and is an indication that Lombard will accept the plea agreement, said Ben Friedman, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Lombard will likely plead guilty Dec. 17, Friedman said.
Lombard's arrest was the result of an elaborate investigation involving the State Bureau of Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, local police and a federal Internet crimes task force.
According to an arrest affidavit, Lombard offered up the boy for sex with an undercover officer contacted over the Internet.
Lombard had worked at Duke since 1999 and was associate director of the university's Center for Health Policy.
He is no longer employed by Duke.
