In Montgomery, Alabama, a state trooper was caught in an undercover sting operation designed to apprehend individuals seeking sexual encounters with minors. According to the Montgomery County sheriff’s office, 11 men were taken into custody as part of the operation. These men had engaged with a decoy posing as a minor in online chat rooms and arranged to meet at a hotel for illicit activities, only to be met by law enforcement officials and arrested.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency revealed that Ryan Rhodes, a senior trooper, resigned on Friday following his arrest in the operation. Reports confirmed that Rhodes was one of the individuals arrested during the early morning raid.
At 26 years old, Rhodes faced charges including electronic solicitation of a child, traveling to meet a child for an unlawful sex act, and resisting arrest. There was no mention of whether Rhodes had legal representation to comment on his case.
During a press conference, Montgomery County Sheriff Derrick Cunningham expressed frustration towards those attempting to exploit young individuals. He emphatically stated, “We are not going to allow you to do this to our young people. The message from us today is: No.”