State Dept. Official Arrested For Allegedly Soliciting Sex From A Minor

The State Department in Washington, Monday, Dec. 15, 2014. Authorities say an electrical transformer explosion has caused power outages at several government buildings in Washington. Most power at the State Departmen... The State Department in Washington, Monday, Dec. 15, 2014. Authorities say an electrical transformer explosion has caused power outages at several government buildings in Washington. Most power at the State Department was lost and employees were told to work as best they could. Other buildings affected included the Federal Reserve, the General Services Administration, Metro's Smithsonian subway station, the Labor Department, the U.S. Park Police and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez) MORE LESS

By Catherine Thompson

February 25, 2015 6:58 a.m.

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A U.S. State Department official was arrested and charged Tuesday on suspicion of soliciting sex from a minor.

Daniel Rosen, 44, was arrested around noon at his Washington, D.C. home, Fairfax County, Virginia police told the Associated Press.

Rosen was arrested after exchanging messages online with a Fairfax County police detective working in the department’s Child Exploitation Unit, department spokeswoman Lucy Caldwell told the AP. Rosen was charged with one count of “use of a communications device to solicit a juvenile,” Caldwell said.

Caldwell told the AP that Rosen’s occupation was listed as “director of counterterrorism” for the State Department. Rosen has held that position for more than 6 years, according to his LinkedIn page.

State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement that the department was aware an employee, whom she declined to identify for privacy reasons, had been arrested and charged, according to the AP. She added that the employee would be put on administrative leave and have his security clearance suspended.

This post has been updated.

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Catherine Thompson (@kt_thomps) Catherine Thompson is a senior editor for Talking Points Memo in New York City. She came to the site in 2013 and reported on national affairs. Previously, she worked as a research assistant to investigative reporter Wayne Barrett. She can be reached at catherine@talkingpointsmemo.com.

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