A 44-year-old New York City resident who works for Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has been arrested after allegedly sending explicit material to someone he believed was a 13-year-old girl and attempting to arrange an in-person meeting.
The suspect, identified as Josh Felker, appeared in court on Thursday to face charges including disseminating indecent material to a minor and endangering the welfare of a child.
According to the New York Post, Felker pleaded not guilty to all charges during his arraignment.
Following the public disclosure of the case, a Meta spokesperson confirmed that the company had placed Felker on administrative leave and would fully cooperate with law enforcement during the investigation.
The case stems from an undercover operation by Predator Poachers Long Island, an activist group that creates decoy social media accounts to identify and expose people attempting to engage with minors online.
According to reports, a member of the group posing as a 13-year-old girl first contacted Felker in May. Over the following months, the pair exchanged frequent online messages.
Investigators allege Felker sent numerous explicit photos and videos of himself to the decoy account, provided sexually explicit instructions, and repeatedly attempted to arrange an in-person meeting. Unbeknownst to him, he was communicating with an adult volunteer working with the group.
The situation came to a head on Wednesday, July 15, when members of the group confronted Felker outside his apartment building in New York City. The encounter was secretly recorded and later published online.
In the footage, Felker appears visibly distressed as he asks the group not to enter the building, explaining that his wife, young child, and visiting mother-in-law were inside and he did not want them to know about the situation.
During the nearly two-hour confrontation, Felker allegedly admitted to sending the explicit messages, photos, and videos. He reportedly blamed marital problems for his actions and also claimed he had previously engaged in similar inappropriate behaviour involving another minor.
The confrontation ended when police arrived at the scene. Members of the group handed over chat logs, audio recordings, and video evidence to officers. After reviewing the material, police arrested Felker without incident. He is now facing criminal prosecution.