BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS — A physical education teacher charged with child solicitation and human trafficking-related offenses has been found dead just days after his arrest, authorities confirmed.
Thad Olson, 58, was arrested on August 21 as part of a two-day human trafficking operation in Forsyth, Illinois. He was charged with traveling to meet a minor and indecent solicitation of a child after allegedly arranging to pay $300 for sex with what he believed were two 16-year-old girls—who were actually undercover officers.
Despite opposition from prosecutors, Olson was released on bail after his August 25 court appearance. Just days later, he was found dead, McLean County Coroner Kathy Yoder confirmed. Details surrounding his death have not been publicly disclosed.
Olson, who worked as a PE teacher at Eisenhower High School in Decatur, was among five men arrested during the sting. The others included Robert Danbury (34), David Martin (69), Benito Rojas-Martinez (54), and Luke Nguyen (54).
The charges followed a broader human trafficking investigation earlier this year in the Bloomington area. Illinois State Police described the operation as part of a “demand suppression” strategy targeting individuals seeking sex with minors.
According to a police affidavit, Olson was arrested after arriving at a Forsyth hotel, where he had allegedly arranged to meet the undercover agents posing as underage girls.
In a statement following his arrest, Decatur Public Schools said:
“The district is aware of the recent arrest of an employee. In accordance with the court’s order, this individual is prohibited from having contact with anyone under the age of 18, and we will strictly enforce this requirement to protect our students.”
Court documents from Olson’s arraignment on August 25 reveal the judge acknowledged that Olson met the criteria for detention, noting that he posed a threat to community safety. However, he was still released ahead of trial.
Olson’s sudden death remains under investigation.
