Police arrested a San Jose high school teacher Tuesday afternoon on suspicion he tried to arrange a meeting with a teenage girl he'd met on the Internet.

The 13-year-old girl was actually a Santa Cruz police detective.

Police said James Barany, 37, initiated a chat room conversation with the girl and during the course of the conversation, he agreed to meet the girl at a location in Santa Cruz. Police did not disclose where the meeting occurred or how long Barany had allegedly been conversing with the girl. Police also would not disclose what high school he worked at, but a secretary at Overfelt High School in San Jose confirmed Barany is the school's band director. The principal there referred all calls to East Side Union High School District Superintendent Bob Nuņez, who did not return phone calls seeking comment.

Barany's previous job was as band director at Evergreen Valley High School in San Jose. The principal there was also not available for comment.

After Barany was arrested around 4:15 p.m., police served a search warrant at his San Jose home and seized evidence, though they did not say what they took from the home. They also notified school officials in Santa Clara County, police reported.

Barany was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail on suspicion of attempting to solicit lewd acts from a minor via the Internet and later released on bail.

Police said detectives regularly monitor the Internet for cyber crimes and that this investigation was "part of these routine operations."

Mercury News Staff Reporter Lisa Fernandez and Sean Webby contributed to this report.