Meta Employee Arrested for Inappropriate Online Interactions
New York City police have taken into custody a technology manager from Meta Inc., involved in children’s digital products, for allegedly trying to engage in inappropriate communication with a girl believed to be 13 years old.
Josh Felker, whose LinkedIn indicated he was an engineering manager at Meta—focused on creating digital experiences for young users—was arrested in Manhattan after reportedly acknowledging that he exchanged inappropriate messages with what he thought were teenage girls. The girl in question, however, was actually a decoy operated by Predator Poachers Long Island, an undercover group aimed at detecting online predators.
According to the group, Felker started reaching out to the decoy account in May and maintained regular contact. Mike Villani, a key member of the operation, mentioned that Felker sent explicit photographs and videos of himself, making inappropriate advances and attempting to arrange in-person meetings.
The incident unfolded outside Felker’s residence in Murray Hill. Initially, he tried to leave the scene when approached by members of the group but later agreed to engage in a conversation nearby. He reportedly expressed a desire to keep his actions hidden from his mother-in-law, who was inside his home at the time.
The nearly two-hour discussion, recorded on video, showed Felker admitting that the chat logs in question were accurate. Disturbingly, he allegedly confessed that this was not his first inappropriate interaction with a minor.
“I have done something similar to this with an underage girl once before,” Felker stated, according to the group.
In a surprising moment during the interaction, a group member pretended to be the victim’s grandmother over the phone, during which Felker made a shocking remark about his desires. He said, “Despite the inappropriateness that had already happened, I wish I could have been her father,” despite being married and having a young child.
Felker attributed his behavior to issues in his marriage, claiming a lack of intimacy with his wife pushed him to seek improper connections online. He referred to the minor as a “storm-hit port,” suggesting he found refuge in these communications.
Police arrived at the scene following Felker’s confession, and he was arrested just a few blocks away from his home. He faces serious felony charges.
Felker is charged with disseminating obscene material to a minor and endangering the welfare of a child. During his arraignment, he entered a not guilty plea, with his next court appearance set for September 9th.
This case has drawn significant attention, particularly because Felker was associated with Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, where he worked on products aimed at young audiences. His LinkedIn profile, now deleted, outlined his role in developing digital experiences for children.
A spokesperson for Meta stated, “This employee has been placed on administrative leave. We will cooperate with law enforcement in their investigation.”
