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Tampa Police: Chicago Man Wanted To Pay Teen For Sex

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By JOSH POLTILOVE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 16, 2009

Updated: 02/16/2009 03:33 pm

Alex Pala

TAMPA - A 42-year-old man who said he owns and operates several rides and games for the Florida State Fair tried to pay for sex with a 14-year-old boy in Tampa on Sunday, Tampa police say. Instead, he was met by law enforcement.

Officers arrested Alex Pala at 10:26 p.m. Sunday at the Days Inn, 2522 N. Dale Mabry Highway.

The Chicago resident was charged with procuring a person younger than 18 for prostitution, possession of a controlled substance and unlawful use of a two-way communications device.

Police say they received a tip that Pala wanted to pay a boy to have sex with him.

"During four hours of monitored phone conversations, the suspect described in illicit detail what he wanted to do with the child," a Tampa police news release states. "He said that he wanted to pay the child money for each sex act. He told undercover officers that if the boy did what he wanted, he would let him live in one of his houses and pay him up to several thousand dollars a month."

Officers set up a meeting with Pala at the Days Inn, saying they would deliver a 14-year-old boy.

When he was arrested, he had $4,934 in his possession, along with five hydrocodone pills, police say.

"He stated during the phone conversations that this wasn't the first time committing these acts with a child," the release states. "Detectives are concerned there may be other young victims that this suspect has had contact with and ask anyone with information to call Tampa police."

Pala told investigators that he was in town for the Florida State Fair and that he operates and owns games and rides for the event. When his truck was being towed from the Days Inn, he said that the vehicle was how he transports equipment to and from fairs, police spokeswoman Andrea Davis said.

Paul Wilson of Wilson Media, which handles publicity for the fair, said Pala was not and is not a game owner or ride owner at the fair.

"We have NO record of him getting credentialed for this year's Fair, as is routine and required," he wrote in an e-mail to the Tribune.

Terry Grace, midway coordinator, said Pala was an employee of a vendor for the fair but did not work directly for the fair. Even if he worked for a vendor, Wilson said, Pala would have needed credentials.

Pala told police he spends six months a year in Florida traveling to fairs and the other six months in Illinois, Davis said. Police were at the Florida State Fair today, trying to determine what, if any, role Pala had there.

"They want to see how many children he may or may not have had contact with," Davis said.

The fair started Feb. 5 and closes today.

Pala first suggested the idea of having sex with a boy on Sunday to a man at the Kikiki Lounge on Kennedy Boulevard, Davis said. That man alerted police and later spoke on the phone with Pala about the boy. Police recorded that conversation.

Pala remained in Orient Road Jail today. His bail has not been set.

Police have no evidence Pala has ever molested a child, and he isn't a registered sexual offender, Davis said.

News Channel 8 reporter Natalie Shepherd contributed to this report. Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at (813) 259-7691.

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