Former Michigan physical therapist accused of soliciting minor for sex arrested in Texas
A Macomb County, Michigan, man is in custody in Texas for allegedly soliciting a minor online for sex. The arrest came after a nationwide nonprofit that works to protect children online provided information to local law enforcement.
Surrounded by the parking lot of a restaurant in Cameron, Texas, police say 58-year-old Geevar Varghese was taken into custody when he thought he was meeting a 14-year-old girl.
"We pose as minors, and we talk to men and report online sexual predators," said President of The Decoy Project Robert Havens.
Havens was on the scene and captured video showing Varghese being taken into custody. Havens says he had been talking to Varghese online for over a year.
He said he messaged Varghese almost every day, even using voice changers to alter his voice so he could speak with the suspect over the phone.
"Probably from February to August, nine times out of 10 conversations were sexual and inappropriate in some way," said Havens.
"I talked to him on Christmas; I talked to him on Valentine's Day like I was in a full-grown emotional relationship with this man."
Havens says he sent fake photos of a 14-year-old girl to Varghese.
To verify his identity, Havens said the suspect sent his LinkedIn profile that showed he was a physical therapist at Henry Ford Health in Macomb.
CBS News Detroit reached out to Henry Ford Health Systems, which confirmed that Varghese is no longer employed in their health system.
"We are deeply disturbed by the allegations about this former employee. The charges out of Texas are unrelated to his work, so we direct all questions to law enforcement," Henry Ford said in a statement.
Havens says he kept local law enforcement informed throughout the operation. He said once the Cameron Police Department was ready to make the arrest, he arranged an in-person meet-up with the suspect in Cameron, Texas.
"By the time he said he wanted to meet us and the Cameron police, we pretty much had our stuff buttoned up," said Havens.
"We obviously know what he looks like. We have his pictures; we are in the Dairy Queen. I was saying he's 10 minutes out, he's five minutes out, so at that point, we're starting to look for a black SUV," he added.
Varghese was taken into custody on Aug. 28 on a $1 million bond. He is charged with online solicitation of a minor for sexual conduct and child grooming.
Varghese has not yet been arraigned or entered into a plea.
CBS News Detroit received the following statement from a family member of Varghese, who wants to remain anonymous for their safety.
"I am deeply hurt by this news. While unexpected, I do not find these events to be unfathomable. This situation is a shock to some family members so we ask for privacy during this time. I personally do not stand by any kinds of physical, emotional, or sexual abuse. For anyone affected by such issues, I believe you. I encourage you to seek support systems such as hotlines, therapy and survivor groups. "
