Judge denies bail for former Fairborn HS ROTC coordinator charged with over 80 sex, drug crimes

XENIA — A judge has denied bail for a former Fairborn High School ROTC coordinator facing more than 80 charges, including sex and drug crimes.

A Greene County grand jury handed up a secret indictment of 83 counts against Eriks Fricsons, 52, on May 13, online court records show. The indictment became public May 17 after Fricsons was served a copy of the indictment.

Fricsons was indicted on 40 counts of sexual battery, 40 counts of pandering sexual oriented matter involving a minor or impaired person, two counts of corrupting another with drugs and one count of illegal cultivation of marijuana, according online court records.

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The alleged incidents of sexual battery and pandering date back to April 2021, according to court records.

News Center 7 was in court Monday for Fricsons’ bond hearing where a defense attorney for Fricsons entered a not guilty plea.

A Fairborn Police detective testified in court that the alleged victim, an underaged girl, told police that she had been living with Fricsons since March 2021 and that “they had had sex approximately 230 times.”

The girl told her employer that “she was being sexually abused by a teacher she was living with,” according court documents denying Fricsons’ bail. That employer then contacted police.

Detective Shane Hartwell testified in court that Fricsons video recorded those encounters at his home and stored them on an external hard drive. Police also accused Fricsons of giving the juvenile, one of Fricsons’ students at Fairborn High School, alcohol and marijuana.

Court records obtained by News Center 7 Wednesday show that police executed a search warrant of Fricsons’ home and found three safes containing a digital storage device containing photos and videos of encounters with the victim, marijuana and various sex toys and outfits. 50 firearms and ammunition were also located. Two “bunkers” were located under Fricsons’ house.

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Photos of him and the victim found on the digital storage “document the number of times Fricsons and [the victim] had engaged in sexual conduct as of the date of the photo,” according to court documents.

Court documents show the girl told police that Fricsons claimed he would pursue “suicide by cop” if the police found out about their relationship. That moved the state to file a motion to deny bail, arguing for Fricsons to stay in jail before the trial.

Fricsons’ lawyer argued for a bond of $10,000 and house arrest, arguing there was no threat or use of force included in the allegations. The lawyer added that Fricsons was not suicidal and that it was legal for him to have guns and ammunition, which had since been removed from his house.

Greene County Common Pleas Court judge denied Fricsons’ bail Tuesday.

Fricsons, a United States Air Force veteran, will remain booked in the Greene County Jail. Court records show that he faces a minimum 61 to a maximum more than 250 years in prison if convicted as charged.

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