Police: Professor in Prostitution Sting Says He Was Doing 'Research'

Solen Feyissa, an instructional designer at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities' School of Public Health, was arrested last week, after responding to a fake prostitution ad and agreeing to meet at a hotel and pay $150 for services. Police said Feyissa told them he was actually just doing "research" for work, but that his online conversations during the sting suggested otherwise, according to KAAL-TV. Via email, Feyissa said Sunday that he "did not tell police that I was conducting research as part of my job," despite reports to the contrary. He said he is still waiting on a specific charge. The university said in a statement that it is monitoring the situation closely.