Investigation finds no evidence
of
crimes by Ronghi in Haiti, Kuwait
By Richelle Turner Collins, Würzburg
bureau
Ronghi |
WÜRZBURG,
Germany — The Army has found no evidence to support allegations that Staff Sgt. Frank
Ronghi had sex with children while deployed to Haiti and Kuwait.
Ronghi, 36,
was sentenced to life in prison in August for sodomizing and killing 11-year-old Merita
Shabiu in Vitina, Kosovo, while he was serving with NATO's Kosovo Force in January 2000.
He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd
Airborne Division.
Following
the girl’s brutal death, the Army investigated the command climate of Ronghi’s
unit.
A
declassified report found that some soldiers in Ronghi’s unit beat up Kosovar men and
touched the breasts of Kosovar women.
Some
soldiers interviewed for the report also said Ronghi talked of having sex with children in
Haiti and Kuwait.
Officials
from the Criminal Investigation Command confirmed in November that they were investigating
those allegations.
CID
spokesperson Marc Raimondi said Thursday they found no evidence that Ronghi committed such
crimes.
"I
believe the case is closed right now," Raimondi said by telephone from Fort Belvoir,
Va.
During the
Army investigation of Ronghi’s unit, Pfc. Michael James Stegemoller told officials
that Ronghi said he killed someone in Saudi Arabia.
According
to Stegemoller’s sworn statement, Ronghi said, "I did it a couple of times in
Saudi Arabia. It is easy to get away with things in a third-world country."
Raimondi
said in November that investigators could not find crimes that fit descriptions made by
the allegations.
The report
also detailed comments of a sergeant who said Ronghi told him a 12-year-old Haitian girl
performed a sex act while another girl watched. The sergeant told investigators that
Ronghi said that if someone gave young girls Meals Ready to Eat and candy they would
perform sexual favors.
The CID did
not find evidence to support those statements.
Raimondi
said that, while the investigation against Ronghi is closed, it could be reopened if new
evidence was discovered.
Raimondi
said he is not aware of any other investigations involving Ronghi.
"Ronghi
is in prison for the rest of his life," Raimondi said.
Army
officials appeared to be content with the results of the investigation.
"We
[the military] have said from the beginning that we would fully investigate all
allegations. It is the culmination of a very thorough military judicial system
process," said Maj. Erik Gunhus, spokesperson for the 1st Infantry Division based in
Würzburg.
The 1st ID
oversaw the peacekeeping operation in the U.S. sector when the incident occurred in Jan
2000.
Ronghi’s
attorney, Maj. Meg Foreman, was unavailable for comment.
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