A senior spokesman for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security was arrested Tuesday night at his home near Washington on charges of attempting to solicit a minor online, Florida authorities announced Wednesday.
Brian Doyle, 55, who served as the department's deputy press secretary, made contact on 12 March with what he believed was a 14-year-old girl whose profile appeared on the internet. The "girl" was actually an undercover detective with the Polk County, Florida sheriff's office.
Doyle identified himself by name and employer during the exchanges and provided the detective with both his official office number and his government-issued cell phone so that contact could continue by telephone.
He also transmitted pornographic video clips to the detective and used instant messaging to conduct sexually explicit conversations. Investigators say he repeatedly instructed the supposed teenager to perform sexual acts while thinking of him and described graphic sexual acts he claimed he wanted to carry out with her.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in April 2006, in its own words.