A Trussville, Alabama, physician is under arrest in Blount County after authorities say he fondled a 17-year-old patient, offered to be her "Sugar Daddy," sending her sexually explicit text messages and then showed up to meet her at a Days Inn.
When Dr. Janaki Earla, 59, showed up to the motel, however, he was met by law enforcement officers instead and taken into custody on a charge of first-degree human trafficking of a minor.
Earla Complimented the Patient's Looks, Put His Number in Her Cellphone
Earla, a doctor at the Wellness Center in Trussville, is being held without bond in the Blount County Jail. The Blount County Sheriff's Office launched the investigation Oct. 5 when the mother of the 17-year-old female contacted investigators, according to court records.
On the previous day – Oct. 4 - her daughter was seen Earla. The teen girl told her mother that Earla had put the stethoscope on her breasts instead of above her breasts. After the physical exam, authorities said in charging documents, Earla took the victim to his office and told her how beautiful she was and how pretty her hair was.
He then had the teen put her cell phone number in his cell phone. He texted her, "you can text me whenever you feel like." The next afternoon, the doctor texted the girl and asked her how she was feeling. He also texted, "Please promise me that you won't tell anyone. I mean it."
He also said, "Let's keep it a secret and I won't tell anything to anyone I promise. I respect your mom and dad, and this is between you and me."
Investigators Texted the Doctor Pretending to Be the Teenage Victim
On Oct. 5, the girl's mother gave law enforcement consent to search her daughter's IPhone. The following day, the mother gave investigators permission to assume the teen's identity online and on her electronic devices.
An undercover investigator with the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force continued to communicate with the doctor pretending to be the teen victim, telling him, "please don't tell my parents."
Over the course of the next two days, Earla corresponded with the undercover investigator whom he believed to be the teen, telling her their conversations with top secret and asking that she delete the texts.
Earla Offered the Teen Money for Sexual Favors
During the conversation, Earla told "the teen" that he would be her "Sugar Daddy" and take care of her. He even sent the definition of "Sugar Daddy "which read, an older man who supports/provides for a younger woman (ex: financially) in return for companionship and/or sexual favors."
The investigator, still pretending to be the teen, texted Earla, "So are you my Suggar daddy?"
Earla responded, "Yes. Love you baby."
The investigator asked Earla, again via text, what he wanted to do to her, and what he wanted her to do to him, documents show. "I want you to play with me and own me. You can treat me like a lover,'' the doctor replied.
Earla, authorities said, initiated and engaged in long and detailed discussions about sexual things he wanted the teen to do to him. He talked about taking trips to Destin and supporting her financially.
Earla, authorities said, tried to set up a location to meet with the teen. He suggested a movie theater where a non-English movie could be seen so there would not be many people there. Later, he suggested a movie theatre may not be private enough and suggested they meet at a Days Inn instead.
He made arrangements to meet the teen there at 6 p.m. on Oct. 11 after he closed his office, and promised to bring condoms, a pizza, alcohol and money for her. Authorities said he had promised to give her $50. However, Instead of finding the teen girl, Earla was met by law enforcement, where authorities say he admitted to the crime.
