Facebook-owned Oculus VR has found a new head of computer vision, replacing Dov Katz, who was arrested last year for allegedly attempting to solicit sex from a police officer posing as a 15-year-old girl in Tukwila, a city south of Seattle.
A spokesperson for Oculus confirmed to TechCrunch that Katz is no longer with the company. Former Facebook, Google and Amazon engineer Amir Frenkel became head of computer vision at Oculus last month, according to his LinkedIn profile. Katz’s profile still lists his title as head of computer vision for Oculus.
Katz allegedly responded to an online advertisement that offered sex in exchange for money, which was posted by the undercover officer. Katz allegedly arranged a meeting at the Embassy Suites in Tukwila, offering to pay $350 to have sex without a condom. When Katz arrived at the hotel with $600 in cash, he was arrested by police.
Upon his arrest, Katz told the officer that he was there to rescue the girl, and should have first called police, according to charging documents. Katz pled not guilty to the charges in January, and he is set for trial in July, according to court documents.
Facebook purchased Oculus — one of the leaders in virtual reality technology — for about $2 billion in cash and stock in 2014. Oculus operates a large engineering office in Seattle. Katz was profiled in a Times of Israel story in 2014 for the role he played in helping to develop the Oculus Rift headset.
