Police say 54 year old Christopher Morelli, who works as the managing editor for the Centre County Gazette Newspaper, sent the messages to an undercover FBI agent starting in 2022.
Police say Morelli continued to send the messages as recently as this month.
In the messages, police say that Morelli acknowledged the girl’s age, asked for photographs and expressed interest in meeting up for sex.
Gazette General Manager Tiara Snare said that Morelli has been placed on indefinite suspension.
Morelli is facing felony charges for unlawful contact with a minor and criminal use of a communication facility.
He is being housed in the Centre County Correctional Facility on $250 thousand dollar bail.
