Rexburg man arrested after allegedly trying to pay teen for sex
Published at
REXBURG – A 52-year-old man was arrested in Rexburg after police caught him in the car with a 17-year-old boy he met online.
Paul Byron Olson was charged with one count of sexual battery of a minor after the incident on March 3.
Rexburg police officers say an employee at the Madison Medical Center called dispatch to report a suspicious vehicle parked behind the building.
The reporting party said it had been there for an unusual amount of time, and they could see there were people in the car.
When officers arrived around 10 p.m., they attempted to interview the driver, later identified as Olson, although at the time he refused to provide his name.
Officers spoke to the minor in the car, who told them he met Olson on Grindr, a dating app for members of the LGBTQ+ communities.
The minor told officers the two met to “engage in sexual activity” and that this wasn’t the first time.
He also provided officers with text messages between himself and Olson, detailing how if the minor performed sexual acts on Olson, he would then be paid for them.
Olson continued to refuse to speak with police and was transported to the Madison County Jail, where his bond was set to $35,000. A no-contact order was issued for the victim, and Olson posted bail allowing his release.
Olson is expected to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on April 5. If convicted, he could face up to 25 years in prison.