Wednesday, November 14, 2007

HOW NOT TO: Researcher Arrested for Hiring Sex Worker for STI Study

filed under: Do It for Science, Strange Bedfellows by Melissa Gira

He was approved to use human subjects in his research, which is precisely what UMass Medical School’s Dr. Peter A. Rice claims to have been doing when he was arrested for soliciting an undercover police officer in Worcester, MA:

The author of more than 145 professional publications in the area of infectious and sexually transmitted diseases, Dr. Rice said he was “gathering information” at the time of his arrest and was not guilty of offering to engage in sex for a fee, the offense with which he was charged. He has been placed on leave since his arrest, according to a UMass spokesman.

Judge Paul F. LoConto entered a not-guilty plea on Dr. Rice’s behalf, released him on personal recognizance and continued his case to Dec. 17.

According to a written statement filed by police in support of their application for a criminal complaint, a female police officer was working undercover in the area of Main and Grand streets shortly before 12:20 p.m. Saturday when a man later identified as Dr. Rice pulled up next to her in a black BMW.

The officer, who was posing as a prostitute, approached Dr. Rice, who had his driver’s side window down, according to the statement.

“They engaged in conversation and he requested that she provide him with sex, according to the police account. The undercover officer signaled fellow officers in the area and Dr. Rice was stopped and arrested.

UMass administrators are now claiming that they knew nothing about this aspect of his project. You can read between the lines yourself — Dr. Rice’s abstract from a 2005 study is similar if not a continuation of his current study, which is funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Extramural Activities.

Only $40, professor? I know sex researchers have trouble enough getting government funding. What do we do now?

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1 Comment so far
  1. xav November 14, 2007 5:35 pm

    40$
    she arrested him because she may think she cost more money. He was arrested for police agent insulting.
    But if some country you can be killed for 40$, or you can have what you want .
    like i said different country, different way of thinking, different point of view.