Katie Bieri

The Republic | azcentral.com

A Phoenix police officer was arrested Thursday in a human-trafficking and prostitution sting conducted by the Glendale Police Department, an official said.

Lt. John Geroulis, 51, was arrested on suspicion of soliciting prostitution and sexual abuse after he reportedly made unwanted sexual contact with an undercover Glendale detective, according to Sgt. Jay O'Neill, a Glendale police spokesman.

Geroulis was a 25-year veteran of the department and retired on Thursday, Sgt. Trent Crump, a Phoenix police spokesman, confirmed on Friday evening. He was most recently a lieutenant in the patrol division.

O'Neill said he couldn't disclose the location of the arrest or how contact between the undercover officer and Geroulis was initiated because it could compromise the investigation and future undercover operations targeting human trafficking and prostitution on the Internet.