A middle school principal in Minnesota was arrested on suspicion of seeking prostitution from a minor during a sting Tuesday, according to police and the district he worked for.
The St. Louis Park Police Department conducted the sting with other agencies as part of a coordinated statewide response to human trafficking and exploitation, according to a statement from the city.
He was held in Hennepin County jail pending charges due to his position of authority working with children, according to the city's statement. He was charged Thursday with felony prostitution. It is not known if he has a lawyer.
In a statement, Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191 confirmed that Selim was the principal of Eagle Ridge Middle School, located in the Minneapolis suburb of Savage.
The statement said that Selim will not be at work at this time.
Superintendent Theresa Battle said this is a hard day for the school and the district. It will be difficult for all of us to process this. The district said there was no indication that any of its students were involved.
A criminal complaint said ads offering prostitution services on various websites were part of the sting.
Selim started a conversation with an undercover officer and agreed to meet her and pay her for sex, the complaint said. When the officer said she was 15, Selim still agreed to meet with her.
He was arrested at the meeting spot. Selim was distraught and made comments that his life career was over, the complaint said.
Selim was replaced by the school's associate principal, according to the district.