Francis Duffield Shelden, born September 5, 1928, in Wayne County, Michigan, was a member of an old money establishment family; his great-grandfather on his father's side was Michigan governor and U.S. Senator [[Russell A. Alger]], who served as Secretary of War from 1897-1899, and on his mother's side were the Duffields, an industrial dynasty. As such, Shelden was endowed with a trust fund that supported a leisurely life of philanthropy focused on youth charities. He worked part-time as a geology professor at Wayne State University, served on the board of the private Cranbrook Institute arts academy and boarding school, and volunteered with Big Brother programs. He owned commercial properties and had a net worth allowing him to pursue interests in sea-steading and offshore banking. Shelden fled Michigan in late 1976 amid investigations into his child pornography operations and was granted Dutch citizenship, protecting him from extradition. He died on July 9, 1996, in Amsterdam, at age 67.[^1] ### Criminal Operations Shelden financed and operated child pornography and prostitution networks, using fronts like [[Brother Paul's Children's Mission]] on [[North Fox Island]], a private island he owned 17 miles off Michigan's Leelanau Peninsula, incorporated via the [[The Church of New Revelation]] in New Jersey. The camp, established as a non-profit subsidiary for juvenile delinquents, facilitated sex acts and photography; in July 1976, Shelden flew four boys aged 8-14 from Port Huron to the island for a weekend of abuse. He sponsored The Educational Foundation for Youth in Illinois, deriving tax-exempt status from the offshore [[The Church of New Revelation]], soliciting "sponsors" via mail for pornography produced at the camp, with boys advertised in newsletters like [[Better Life Monthly]] and [[Hermes]]. Shelden used an airstrip in Charlevoix, Michigan, for transporting boys, and another in St. Clair County for trips like the July 12, 1976, flight. He corresponded with pedophiles like [[Gerald Richards]], providing boys for sex and films, and was linked to [[Father Bud's Boys Farm]] in Tennessee, where he appeared on a sponsor list seized in November 1976. Richards' September 1976 network diagram placed Shelden centrally in a nationwide child porn operation spanning states and Europe. Shelden wrote for Better Life Monthly under the name Frank Torey and financed [[Hermes]], distributed by F&S in California. In Amsterdam, post-1976, he published PAN ([[PAN Magazine]]) from 1979 under Frank Torey, platforming [[Spartacus International]]'s child sex tourism and brothels. He transferred assets to [[The Trust Company]] of the Virgin Islands in 1976, appointing [[Edward Brongersma]] as trustee in 1978. Shelden's operations involved grooming via magic shows, foster homes, and Big Brother programs; he was implicated in 8mm films, including a snuff film of [[Timothy King]], per [[Richard Lawson]]'s 1988 and 2005 statements, verified by Dutch police linking Shelden and Kim Tam Ang to 1993 Amsterdam investigations.[^1] ### Connections Shelden connected to [[John David Norman]] via Better Life Monthly and [[Hermes]], funding their [[Delta Project]]/[[Odyssey Network]] for boy prostitution. [[Gerald Richards]] met Shelden through a magic show ad in Better Life Monthly, exchanging boys and producing porn at Shelden's Ann Arbor estate and [[North Fox Island]]; Richards processed films from [[Father Bud's Boys Farm]] for Shelden's network. [[Dyer Grossman]], a science teacher, co-drafted [[Brother Paul's Children's Mission]] charter and corresponded with Shelden on foster homes and procuring boys via Big Brother programs. [[Adam Starchild]] ([[Malcolm Willis McConahy]]) incorporated [[Brother Paul's Children's Mission]] and The [[Ocean Living Institute]], fronts for Shelden's operations; Starchild faked his death in 1975. Shelden linked to [[Troop 137]] in [[New Orleans, Louisiana]], via [[Cladius Vermilye]] of [[Father Bud's Boys Farm]], with [[Richard Halvorsen]] and [[Raymond Woodall]]; Halvorsen invited to the farm, and [[John Reed Campbell]]'s case connected to [[Harry Connick]]. [[Josiah Tazelaar]], arrested January 1977, procured boys for Shelden; Tazelaar lived near [[Timothy King]]'s family and linked to [[Titus "Duffy" Jones]], roommate of [[Ted Lamborgine]], per 2005 OCCK investigation. [[Kent Gilbert Schultz]], arrested October 1977, was a pedophile in Highland Park near Tazelaar's address. In the [[Oakland County Child Killer]] case, Shelden financed films by [[Robert Moore]], per [[Richard Lawson]]; Lawson saw photos of [[Timothy King]] with [[Ted Lamborgine]] at Moore's. Shelden's estate trustee [[Edward Brongersma]] was a Dutch Senator advocating pedophilia legalization. In Amsterdam, Shelden partnered with [[John Stamford]] of [[Spartacus International]] for [[PAN (Paedo Alert News)]] and child sex tourism, linking to [[Elm Guest House]] via [[Peter Glencross]]. 1993 Dutch probe named Shelden with Kim Tam Ang in child porn/sexual offenses against minors, confirming Lawson's claims.[^1] ### Footnotes [^1]: Dovey, S. (2023). Eye of the Chickenhawk. United States: Thehotstar.