Academy fund-raising head arrested in prostitution sting

AirForce Times — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 17:27:41 -0500

From: Air Force Times

The head of a fund-raising group for the Air Force Academy's athletic department has resigned following his arrest in a prostitution sting.

Dermot Coll had served as CEO of the nonprofit Air Force Academy Athletic Corp. since its establishment in July 2013, according to an academy statement. He submitted his resignation effective immediately on Friday, citing personal reasons.

Three days earlier, on Nov. 11, Colorado Springs, Colorado, police had charged Coll with soliciting sex for cash from an undercover police officer, the local newspaper The Gazette reported.

"Out of respect for Derm Coll and his family we wish to respect his privacy at this difficult time in their lives. We have nothing to add outside of the statement from the Academy at this time," AFAAC board chairman retired Gen. John Lorber said in a statement. "The AFAAC will rally behind this and continue its mission of supporting Air Force athletics."

The AFAAC provides direct support to the academy's 17 men's and 10 women's varsity teams, according to the academy.

The mission of the organization is to "generate the necessary revenue to support Air Force Intercollegiate Athletics" and "to support the Air Force Athletic Department mission of producing leaders of character for our Nation," according to its website.

Coll, 43, was a 1995 graduate of the academy who returned there in 1998 as an assistant lacrosse coach, The Gazette reported. He was promoted to assistant athletic director in 2002 and associate athletic director in 2005.

His Nov. 11 arrest was not Coll's first run-in with the law. He was charged with driving under the influence in 1996 and 2007 in El Paso County, according to online court records. In both cases, he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of driving with impaired ability.

Coll was sentenced to 12 months probation and 24 hours community service in 1996; in the 2007 case, he was sentenced to 20 days in jail, two months unsupervised probation, 24 hours of community service and 18 months of "probation alcohol supervision," according to the court records.

It was not immediately clear if the academy was aware of his convictions.

Coll's arrest last week is the latest embarrassment for the academy's beleaguered athletics program over the last year.

Last December, former academy cadet Eric Thomas said he was ordered to break cadet policy while working as a confidential informant, investigating drug use and sexual assault among football players, and then abandoned by academy officials and expelled when he got into trouble. Lawmakers criticized the confidential informant program as being incompatible with the academy's honor code. The academy's inspector general concluded that the bulk of the demerits Thomas collected that resulted in his expulsion were not tied to his work as an informant.

The Gazette in August published a story detailing allegations of heavy drinking, use of drugs including date rape drugs, and sexual assault at parties. A 2011 party led to an investigation of 32 cadets for alleged misconduct, three of whom – two football players and a female basketball player – were court-martialed, convicted and expelled.

And the school's inspector general last month gave the athletic department an overall grade of "effective" – the equivalent of a "C" on a five-category scale – and found some areas need to improve, although it found nothing requiring a follow-up legal investigation.

http://www.airforcetimes.com/story/military/crime/2014/11/19/air-force-academy-athletics-arrest-prostitution-sting/19266781/

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 19 at 2014 5:35 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 17:35:58 -0500

I find it interesting that a lot of the prostitution rings we hear of are run by higher ranking officials whether they be 1SG or SGM or CEO. In this case it looks like they were not in charge of the ring but soliciting. Very interesting that the people we entrust with so much have that much disregard for the welfare of their troops or anyone in general. Glad they got caught and are going to be replaced, but for everyone caught how many are we missing that are still hiding and doing worse offenses?

Response by Capt Richard I P. made Nov 19 at 2014 10:27 PM

Capt Richard I P. — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 22:27:33 -0500

Isn't it interesting its never the nerds getting into all this sexual assault trouble? Always the jocks....hmmm...

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 19 at 2014 10:34 PM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 22:34:47 -0500

Check yourself gentlemen, this is an awkwardly worded headline. He was the head of a fund raising group, and happened to be arrested by CO Springs PD for trying to get a prostitute.

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Nov 20 at 2014 6:04 AM

MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca — Thu, 20 Nov 2014 06:04:50 -0500

Well, that's some "creative" fundraising!

Response by SMSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 20 at 2014 6:34 AM

SMSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 20 Nov 2014 06:34:24 -0500

That is an very interesting hirer especially with a very checkered past, not sure how close the association was with the school. Wonder if his association with the Academy had any effect on graduates over that time?