A Harvard University librarian was arrested after he traveled to Gilpin County with the intention of having sex with a teenage girl only to learn he had been corresponding with a deputy, authorities said Tuesday.
Yahya Hussein Ahmad Melhem, 47, was arrested for investigation of attempted sexual exploitation of a child, Internet sexual exploitation of a child, Internet luring of a child and attempted child sexual assault, all felony charges.
Melhem was released on a $10,000 bail. He could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
Michelle Deakin, spokeswoman for Harvard Law School, declined to comment about the charge, including his employment status.
Gilpin County deputies arrested Melhem on Friday in a sting in which a deputy posed as a teenager, according to a Tuesday news release by the sheriff’s office.
Melhem was in the Denver area attending a conference.
On Nov. 19, a male deputy was on a social networking site portraying himself as a teen when Melhem allegedly exchanged messages with him thinking he was a young girl.
Melhem texted that he would rent a car and drive to Black Hawk to meet her.
Melhem wrote a message asking the “girl” to show him “her intimate body parts via webcam.” He also displayed sexually graphic video of himself to the deputy believing he was a girl.
