A rabbi at a Jewish learning center in Minneapolis is among those implicated in a metro-area law enforcement sting aimed at combating the online solicitation of sex with children.

Aryeh Cohen, 44, of St. Louis Park, was among those arrested along with several others in the undercover operation, which was carried out in the lead-up to the Super Bowl at various locations around the metro, including North St. Paul, criminal charges say.

He was charged in Ramsey County District Court Tuesday with one count of soliciting a child or someone believed to be a child through electronic communication to engage in sexual conduct, as well as an additional count of engaging in electronic communication relating or describing sexual conduct with a child.

A spokeswoman for the Minneapolis Community Kollel, where Cohen served as a rabbi and director of youth outreach, said the community just learned of the “disturbing” allegations facing Cohen Tuesday and was stunned.

“We have never received a complaint about Rabbi Cohen from anybody on anything, and so the Kollel is shocked,” Amy Rotenberg said.

The learning center has since relieved Cohen of his duties, Rotenberg said, adding that he will no longer be participating in any Kollel activities.

In recent years, Cohen worked with college-aged students at the center, Rotenberg added. He reportedly worked with high school students several years ago.

“The Kollel is deeply concerned about the health and well-being of our students, staff, and broader community and we hope and pray for healing and wellness for all who have been or may be affected during this troubling and difficult time,” Rotenberg added in a statement Thursday afternoon.

Cohen did not respond to a request for comment on the allegations and no attorney was listed for him in court records.

UNDERCOVER AGENTS POSED AS MINORS

Authorities with the Minnesota Human Trafficking Investigators Task Force working alongside agents with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and other law enforcement agencies across the metro, including North St. Paul Police, conducted the sting during the last weeks of January, legal documents say.

Dozens were arrested. About 20 were charged in Ramsey County District Court recently with either soliciting a child or someone believed to be a child through electronic communication to engage in sexual conduct, engaging in electronic communication relating or describing sexual conduct with a child, or both.

In most cases, men responded to ads posted by agents posing as underage girls or boys seeking casual connections on social media sites, including Craigslist, Plenty of Fish and Grindr, legal documents say.

Cohen was among those who responded to an ad and subsequently struck up a sexual conversation with an undercover agent, eventually texting the agent a picture of his genitalia, charges say.

He was arrested when he allegedly arrived to meet the undercover agent in North St. Paul on Feb. 1. As he was being taken to a police station, the rabbi made an unsolicited remark to an officer, saying, “I sort of deserve it,” the complaint said.

He allegedly added that he didn’t “think much would happen” when he arrived at the residence because the person he thought he was meeting was sexually inexperienced, the complaint said.

NEARLY 20 ARRESTED IN STING

In addition to Cohen, nearly 20 others from around the Twin Cities arranged to meet someone they believed to be underage at the North St. Paul residence, charges say.

Others charged to date include:

Bryce Mitchell Unto Olson, 27, of Monticello;

Adam James Sellers, 28, of Illinois;

Daniel Hakina Guya, 22, of Washington state;

Larry Jacob Stiele, 35 of Minneapolis;

James Joseph Judge, 47 of Minneapolis;

Ernest William Ahrens, 35, of St. Paul;

Daniel John Mallet, 45 of St. Paul;

Andrew Allen Swain, 25, of Minneapolis;

Leon Wesley Jacox, 23, of Minneapolis;

Jeremy Mitchell Osterhout, 30, of New Hope;

Enrique Belizar Lopez Ordonez, 33, of Lake City;

Lonnie John Jordan, 44, of Nowthen;

Zachary Allen Miranowski, 23, of Andover;

Luke Charles Shackleton, 28, of Knapp, Wis.;

Norberto Hernandez-Pena, 45, of Eagan;

Byron Russell Peterson, 60, of Eagan;

Marquayle Damar Brooks, 27, of Minneapolis.

SEPARATE STING YIELDS MORE ARRESTS

A handful of others were also charged in Ramsey County District Court this week for allegedly seeking sex with minors in a separate undercover operation that focused on sex for pay, authorities say.

In that sting, known as Guardian Angel, undercover agents posted ads appearing to offer commercial sex on Backpage.com before the site was shut down last March.

The operation was primarily led by the Minnesota Human Trafficking Task Force and Minneapolis police.

Once an interested buyer responded, the agent shifted gears and revealed that he or she was actually underage, even though the ad stated they were adults, legal documents say.

Those charged in Ramsey County showed up at an apartment in St. Paul in early February and were subsequently arrested.

Some told officers they didn’t actually intend to follow through with the arrangement, but only wanted to meet someone. Others said they responded to the ads to find troubled youth in need of help, according to legal documents.

Those arrested so far in that undercover operation include:

Darwin Oswaldo Tiniganay, 30, of Minneapolis;

Jayvadan Ramabhai Patel, 41, of Owatanna;

Tou Ger Moua, 24, of St. Paul;

Chaloemchai Saeyang, 44, of Minneapolis;

Jesus Ernesto Lopez-Pinto, 23, of Minneapolis;

and Brandon Keith Guy, 25, of St. Paul.

Each faces one count of prostitution related to the hiring of someone believed to be between 13 and 16 years old, charges say.

All of the men charged in the two stings are expected to make their first court appearance in September. Attorneys were not yet listed for them in court records.