Dr. Jason Atha, a dentist in Boulder, Colo., has been charged with attempted enticement of a minor in connection with the undercover sex sting Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images A Colorado dentist was arrested and charged after allegedly arranging sex abuse online with a person he believed was the mother of an 8-year-old girl, authorities claim.
Dr. Jason Atha, a dentist in Boulder, Colo., was taken into custody by federal agents when he landed at Palm Beach International Airport in Florida on Aug.
9, according to a federal indictment reviewed by PEOPLE. Though the 49-year-old allegedly thought he was communicating with the mother and her 8-year-old daughter on a messaging app, he was instead talking to an undercover agent with the Department of Homeland Security, the indictment claims. Atha allegedly began communicating with the undercover agent on a messaging app chat room revolving around “taboo” sex acts and child sex abuse in October 2023.
The agent’s job was to “detect and investigate violations of federal law related to the sexual exploitation of children,” the indictment states. According to the indictment, the undercover agent — who Atha allegedly believed was a single mother — told Atha they had an 8-year-old daughter who they sexually abused during what they called “play time.” In response, Atha allegedly said, “That’s a beautiful thing.
I would sooo love to be a part of that," according to the indict.