Iowa State has confirmed Michael Spurlock, professor at Iowa State, was arrested and charged Wednesday with prostitution in Ankeny, Iowa, under Iowa Code 725, which involves both the selling and purchasing of sexual services.

Rob Schweers, program director for the senior vice president and provost, said Spurlock is a tenured professor in food sciences and human nutrition in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Schweers had no other details to offer.

Schweers said that once legal actions are final, the university will be able to better decide how it will handle the situation.

Spurlock, who has worked at the university since 2005, was one of 11 individuals arrested in a prostitution sting by Ankeny Police at an undisclosed hotel.

Investigators placed an ad on www.backpage.com that resulted in approximately 200 inquiries. Detective Nate Lampe, of Ankeny Police, said the suspect responded to the ad and contacted an undercover agent.

Lampe said an undercover agent and the suspect met at an undisclosed hotel in Ankeny and made a verbal commitment to a sexual act in exchange for money. At that time, police came into the hotel room and made the arrest. 

Check back with the Daily as details develop.