A former school superintendent from Shelby faces federal charges in connection with the sexual exploitation of children.

Albert "Tom" Rogers was arrested at the U.S-Mexico border, where federal authorities say Rogers had arranged an overnight trip to include "relaxation intimacy" with a 13 to 14-year old boy in Mexico. The reservation was made online with an undercover federal agent as part of an ongoing sting operation.

Rogers, a Missoula native, was the Shelby School Superintendent for three years; he left the position in 2007 to become the superintendent of a school district in Arizona.

Rogers made his initial appearance in an Arizona court this week. If convicted, he could receive 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

Additional information about the case was published by the Arizona Daily Star and is available by clicking here; here is some background about the sting operation:

Since Immigration and Customs Enforcement started its undercover sex-tourism operation in Yuma in 1997, its agents have arrested 43 suspects, including Rogers. The investigation is part of Operation Predator, an ongoing agency initiative to protect children from sexual predators, including those who travel to foreign nations for sex with minors. Many people plan trips to other countries to take advantage of looser laws or less focus on child exploitation, Allen said. "We want to make sure that, in this case, the border is a barrier and we protect children throughout the world, and not just in the United States," Allen said.