Man charged after missing 14-year-old Pittsburgh-area girl found on other side of state

A man is facing charges after police said he used social media to lure a missing 14-year-old Pittsburgh-area girl to his home on the other side of the state. 

Twenty-seven-year-old Christopher P. Jones of Nanticoke, Luzerne County, is facing a slew of charges, including unlawful contact with a minor, corruption of a minor and criminal attempt to commit several sex offenses, after he was arrested by the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force, the Whitehall Borough Police Department said in a press release on Tuesday. 

Police said the teenager, who was reported missing from Whitehall on Sunday, was found in Nanticoke after investigators tracked her online activity, leading them to Jones. According to the complaint, Jones told the girl what clothes to pack and said they'd "use a cover story that he is her father while she is staying with him." 

The case underscores the growing role online platforms play in missing persons cases, police said. According to officials, the man used the chat platform Discord to lure the teen to his home. 

"Social media can be a powerful tool—not just for connection, but for locating individuals in urgent situations," Whitehall Police Chief Jason Gagorik said in a news release. "We encourage parents to maintain open conversations with their children about online activity and to be mindful of what is shared publicly."  

A missing endangered person advisory had been issued for the teenager on Sunday. Pennsylvania State Police had asked for help finding her, saying they believed she may have been at a special risk of harm or injury. Whitehall police posted an update on Monday saying she had been found in Nanticoke, about 250 miles from her home. 

A woman who works in the cafeteria at the victim's school in the Baldwin-Whitehall School District told KDKA on Tuesday that she is "polite" and "everybody loves her." 

Authorities said multiple federal and local agencies worked together to find the teen, including the FBI, Secret Service, Allegheny County police and Nanticoke police.