MESA, Ariz. — A Mesa pediatrician has been identified as one of the 16 people arrested in an undercover operation related to crimes against children across Arizona.
Dr. Bryce Olsen, a pediatrician in Mesa previously affiliated with Banner Desert Medical Center, was arrested on suspicion of multiple illicit acts directed toward minors.
The sting was referred to as "Operation Tangled Web." Undercover detectives from multiple law enforcement agencies placed ads on websites that were "commonly sought out by suspects seeking illegal sex acts," according to the Phoenix Police Department.
According to court documents, an officer working undercover on a social media dating site had been contacted by an anonymous user, later identified as Olsen when he shared his social media account.
After several messages, the officer told Olsen that they were 15 years old. Olsen "acknowledged the age," and proceeded to solicit sexual acts and private information from the officer, court documents show.
Olsen then told the officer he'd "be arriving in the area where the juvenile lived within five minutes," and provided a detailed description of his vehicle when he arrived at the Arizona Mills Mall.
Uniformed officers quickly approached the vehicle and took Olsen into custody. He is being charged with one count of Attempted Sexual Conduct with a Minor, and one count of Luring a Minor for Sexual Exploitation.
Olsen has since been booked into the Maricopa County Jail and is being held on a $100,000 bond.
Olsen identified himself as working with the Banner Medical Center in court documents. As of Wednesday, Oct. 26, Banner Desert Medical Center said Olsen was no longer employed with the organization.