BROOKVILLE, Pa. (EYT) — A 50-year-old New York truck driver faces multiple felony charges following an undercover operation conducted by Brookville Borough Police and an online predator detection group.
According to court documents filed by the Brookville Borough Police Department, 50-year-old Joseph Matthew Falisi, of Liberty, New York, was arrested on January 2, 2025, at the Flying J truck stop in Brookville after allegedly attempting to meet who he believed to be a minor for a sexual encounter.
Police say Falisi had been communicating with who he thought was a 15-year-old girl through social media between December 28, 2024, and January 1, 2025. The account was actually operated by 814 Pred Hunters, a group that assists law enforcement by establishing decoy identities online, according to a criminal complaint.
Police say Falisi was immediately informed of the purported age of the account holder. The conversations became inappropriate and explicit in nature, the complaint notes.
Brookville Police Chief Vince Markle assigned Officer Bryce Rafferty to investigate the case on January 2. The arrest was made after Falisi allegedly arrived at the truck stop to meet “the person” he had been messaging, according to the complaint.
Falisi has been charged with multiple felonies including statutory sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault, corruption of minors, and criminal use of a communication facility. He also faces a misdemeanor charge of indecent assault.
He was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Gregory M. Bazylak and remains in Jefferson County Jail unable to post $80,000.00 bail.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for January 14.
EDITOR’S NOTE 1: Extreme graphic details were not included due to the sexual nature of the alleged crimes.
