On Sunday, Crossville officers received a tip that a man at the Holiday Inn Express was offering maids $100 for sexual acts.

An undercover operation was discussed and an officer was wired and dressed in an employee uniform. When the undercover agent arrived at the man’s door, he motioned her to come in. He had told the previous employee since she wasn’t interested, she should inform other housekeepers he would pay them $100 for ten minutes of their time.

When the undercover agent went inside the hotel room, the man told her how his wife was in the Philippines and he was lonely and needed company. The man then took out multiple twenty-dollar bills and that’s when the undercover officer told him she needed to get some towels out of the restroom. Meanwhile, another city officer and detective entered the hotel room.

The man was identified as 60-year-old Matthew Gellman, of Crossville. He told officers his wife was actually at home and he had told her he was going to play bridge. He admitted to officers that he had attempted to get an escort online about a year ago, but was sent a picture of decapitated heads and threats.

Mr. Gellman was arrested for Patronizing Prostitution and transported to intake.