An employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs has been arrested in Mesa for allegedly soliciting underage girls for sex.
Mesa police arrested 50-year-old Ross Dean Brown on Wednesday on one count each of luring a minor for sexual exploitation and prostitution with a minor.
According to charging documents released Friday, Brown allegedly posted an ad on Backpage.com in December.
A detective, posing as a 13-year-old girl, corresponded with Brown for more than a month.
Police say Brown used a computer at a VA office in Mesa.
Phoenix VA spokeswoman Jean Schaefer says Brown is a deputy director of contracting and the department is cooperating with authorities.
Brown, who is married, acknowledged that he planned to pay for sexual acts with a minor.
He is being held on $5,000 bail.
