[Warning: Potentially Triggering Content]
A New York City engineer who worked for Meta has been placed on leave after an encounter with an online child-safety vigilante group that claims he attempted to communicate with a person he believed was a 13-year-old girl.
According to a YouTube video from the group, followed by reporting by the New York Post, Josh Felker, 44 and an engineering manager at Meta, was confronted by Predator Poachers Long Island, a group that conducts online stings targeting people it suspects of attempting to engage in inappropriate conversations with minors. The group claimed Felker had been sexting with a decoy account it operated, and they later confronted him outside his Manhattan apartment.
Related: Disney Channel Star Officially Indicted Following Alleged Possession Of Child Pornography
Felker was arrested following the confrontation and is facing charges including disseminating indecent material to minors and endangering the welfare of a child, according to the Post’s report.
The group alleged Felker first contacted its decoy account in May and continued messaging the account over a period of time. Mike Villani, one of the individuals involved with the sting, told the Post that Felker allegedly sent in appropriate photos and videos of himself, allegedly spoke to the supposed teen about masturbation, and attempted to arrange an in-person meeting with the person he believed was an underage girl.
During the confrontation, which was recorded by the group and lasted nearly two hours, Felker allegedly acknowledged communicating with the account and discussed the messages with the group. According to the Post, Felker said during the encounter:
“Even though inappropriate things had already gone on, I just almost wish I could be her dad.”
WHAT.
The report also states that Felker allegedly told the group this was not the first time he had communicated with someone he believed to be underage. Per the group’s video, he said:
“I did this once before with another girl who is underaged.”
WTF…
The confrontation ended after police arrived, and Felker was arrested near his Manhattan residence.
The incident has drawn additional attention because Felker’s professional background included work related to children’s digital products. A now-deleted LinkedIn profile reportedly described him as an engineering manager who built “digital experiences for kids” at Meta, per the Post.
Related: Santa-For-Hire Accused Of Child Pornography Was Also An Elementary School Teacher — WTF
Meanwhile, Meta confirmed that Felker had been placed on leave following the allegations. A spokesperson for the company told the NYC-based news outlet:
“We will cooperate with law enforcement in its investigation.”
The case now moves into the legal system, where the allegations against Felker will be addressed through the criminal process.
What a story…
If you have sincere cause to suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence and would like to learn more about resources, consider checking out https://www.rainn.org/resources.
[Image via MEGA/WENN]
