Mom Lets 13-Year-Old Daughter Fly to RI to Meet EP Man, 19

A 19-year-old East Providence man allegedly lured a 13-year-old girl from South Carolina to Rhode Island and is now facing charges of indecent solicitation of a child and possession of child pornography after he exchanged sexually explicit messages with the girl during an online courtship.

State Police arrested Andrew Silvestri, 19, of 21 Harris St., East Providence, on Sunday after they were contacted by airport police at T.F. Green Airport in Warwick who had the girl in custody.

Airport police were alerted to the girl after fellow passengers were concerned about a 13-year-old girl traveling alone who told them that she was going to "visit a male subject she met on the Internet," according to a release.

Alarmingly, the girl's mother knew about the relationship and "gave permission for the juvenile to fly to Rhode Island," the state police said.

The girl told police that she thought Silvestri was 17. Police also learned that Silvestri had sent explicit pictures to the girl on several occasions. Her phone also contained "numerous text messages and pictures between Mr. Silvestri and the juvenile, some of which were inappropriate."

The relationship reportedly began in December and flourished through Facebook, Skype, text messages and phone calls.

The juvenile is now in custody of the Department of Children, Youth and Families.

State Police and members of the Rhode Island Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force searched Silvestri's Harris Street house on Sunday and seized a phone that had nude photos of the teen.

Silvestri was arraigned before a justice of the peace and released on $10,000 personal recognizance. He was ordered to stay away from children and the Internet.