NYPD officers have arrested an engineering manager at Meta who worked on digital products for children following an undercover sting operation in which he allegedly attempted to engage in inappropriate communication with what he believed to be a 13-year-old girl.
The New York Post reports that Josh Felker, whose LinkedIn profile indicated he was an Engineering Manager at Meta focusing on creating digital experiences for young users, was apprehended in Manhattan after admitting to exchanging inappropriate messages with what he thought was a teenage girl. The supposed 13-year-old girl he was communicating wtih was actually a decoy account operated by Predator Poachers Long Island, a group that conducts sting operations to expose individuals seeking to exploit minors online.
According to the group, Felker initiated contact with their decoy account in May and maintained regular communication thereafter. Mike Villani, one of the members who led the operation, stated that Felker allegedly sent explicit photos and videos of himself and made inappropriate suggestions to the supposed minor, including attempting to arrange in-person meetings.
The confrontation occurred Wednesday outside Felker’s Murray Hill apartment in Manhattan. When initially approached by members of the group, Felker reportedly attempted to leave the scene but eventually agreed to speak with them at a nearby location. He explained that his mother-in-law was inside his apartment and he wanted to avoid her learning about his alleged activities.
During the encounter, which lasted nearly two hours and was captured on video scheduled for public release, Felker allegedly acknowledged the authenticity of the chat logs presented to him. In a particularly disturbing admission, he reportedly told group members this was not his first time engaging in such behavior with a minor.
“I did this once before with another girl who is underaged,” Felker stated in the video, according to the group.
In an unusual turn during the sting, a member of Predator Poachers Long Island posed as the grandmother of the fictitious victim and spoke with Felker by phone. During this conversation, Felker made a shocking statement about his intentions.
“Even though inappropriate things had already gone on, I just almost wish I could be her dad,” said Felker, who is married and has a young child of his own.
Felker allegedly attributed his behavior to problems in his marriage, claiming a lack of intimacy with his wife had driven him to seek inappropriate connections online. He described the situation by saying minors represented “any port in a storm” for him.
Police arrived at the scene shortly after Felker allegedly confessed to the activities documented in the chat logs. He was arrested within blocks of his Manhattan residence and faces serious criminal charges.
Felker has been charged with disseminating indecent material to minors and endangering the welfare of a child. At his arraignment on Thursday, he entered a plea of not guilty. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 9.
The case has drawn particular attention due to Felker’s employment at Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, where he allegedly worked on products designed for young users. His LinkedIn profile, which has since been deleted, detailed his role in creating digital experiences for children at the social media giant.
A Meta spokesperson told Breitbart News that “This employee has been placed on leave. We will cooperate with law enforcement in its investigation.”
Read more at the New York Post here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of AI, free speech, and online censorship