Pennsylvania journalist charged with sex crimes now facing new charges involving another minor

CENTRE COUNTY, Pa. (KDKA) – The man who served as the managing editor of the Centre County Gazette in State College is now facing new charges in relation to a new incident from 12 years ago. 

According to a report from WTAJ in Altoona, 54-year-old Christopher Morelli is alleged to have messaged a woman on Facebook in the fall of 2011 when she was 14. The conversation, provided by the woman, was about sex. 

 Pennsylvania journalist arrested, charged with trying to meet underage girl for sex

She also told police that the conversations started after she went to his house in September 2011 to go swimming. The criminal complaint alleges that Morelli gave the woman and her friend alcohol when they went swimming at his house. 

Morelli would’ve been 42 at the time of the incident. 

He was arrested late last year after he attempted to arrange a meeting with a 14-year-old girl. 

Morelli had been talking to who he thought was a 14-year-old girl on a social media app but turned out to be an FBI agent undercover. He allegedly attempted to get the girl to send him sexually explicit photos and meet him at a hotel. 

Along with already facing charges of unlawful contact with a minor and criminal use of a communication facility, he is now facing charges of solicitation to commit statutory sexual assault and corruption of minors. 

Morelli was indefinitely suspended from his position as managing editor when the initial charges were filed. 

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