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NJ Rep. Steve Rothman’s chief of staff arrested for soliciting sex from minor

The chief of staff to US Rep. Steve Rothman (D-N.J.) was fired following his arrest for soliciting sex from a minor, Fox News Channel reported Tuesday.

Robert Decheine, 48, had held his post since 2003 and is a former aide to Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.). He was arrested Friday in Gaithersburg, Md., a suburb of Washington, D.C.

“Congressman Rothman immediately consulted appropriate House counsel and terminated Mr. Decheine’s employment, effective November 19, 2010, due to the very serious nature of this charge,” Aaron Keyak, a Rothman spokesman, told Fox News Channel in a statement.

“Congressman Rothman considers this alleged criminal act to be shocking, appalling and indefensible. As a parent, he understands the vital importance of protecting our children from predators.”

The arrest may have been part of a Gaithersburg police sting, in which 11 people, aged 25 to 48, were recently picked up for soliciting sex from minors online.

The felony charge carries a penalty of no more than 10 years in prison or a maximum fine of $25,000, according to the police department’s website.