TAMPA – Tampa police arrested a man on charges he tried to pay a teenage boy to have sex with him.

Officers arrested Alex Pala, 42, Sunday night at the Days Inn in the 2200 block of North Dale Mabry Highway.

Though investigators said Pala told them he worked as a ride and game operator at the Florida State Fair, fair officials say they have no record of him working there or owning any of the booths.

According to a news release from the Tampa Police Department, the Chicago man spent several hours on the phone describing in “illicit detail” what he wanted to do with the child. Officers say Pala also offered to let the boy live with him at one of his houses, and pay him up to several thousand dollars a month.

Officers set up a meeting with Pala at the hotel saying they would deliver the 14-year-old, police said. When he arrived they arrested him on charges of procuring a person under 18 for prostitution and possession of a controlled substance.

“He did say that he worked for the Florida State Fair. He was in town and traveled around to fairs. He didn’t cooperate with police very much, but we had enough evidence, based on the four hours of phone conversations, we knew what his intentions were,” Tampa police spokesperson Andrea Davis said.

Fair officials deny Pala’s statement, however, saying that the only way he would be able to be part of the fair is to buy a ticket like anyone else.

Officers said Pala nearly $5,000 in cash and Hydrocodone pills at the time of his arrest. Pala is being held without bond after detectives made an emergency call to a judge at home. Police said they were afraid Pala would leave town if he was released, and the judge prohibiting him from posting bail.

Pala has a criminal history, according to police, but records do not show any sex crimes in his past. But detectives believe there may be other victims. If you have any information, call Tampa police.

Detectives say fair officials are cooperating with the investigation.