A Warren man has pleaded guilty to three felony charges lodged against him earlier this year after using Facebook messenger to set up a sexual encounter with an underage girl.

Nathan D. Lang, 24, of Warren pleaded guilty to first-degree felony criminal attempt statutory sexual assault, second-degree felony criminal attempt obscene and other sexual materials and third-degree felony unlawful contact or communication with a minor in front of Judge Gregory Hammond. Charges of first-degree felony criminal attempt unlawful contact/communication with a minor, first-degree felony criminal attempt involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and criminal use of a communication facility were not prosecuted.

Lang was charged in April after the Warren man made contact with a Facebook Messenger account operated by undercover police officers in February, according to the Affidavit of Probable Cause filed by Warren police.

On March 11, Lang was allegedly told the account was being operated by a 15-year-old girl but still made lewd and explicit statements about intercourse with the girl. Lang also sent lewd photos to the covert account.

“The defendant advised the covert account to keep it a secret as so he would not get in trouble,” the affidavit states.

Contact between Lang and the covert Facebook account continued throughout the rest of March until Lang agreed to meet the person using the covert account near Water Street and East, near Morck Park.

“Officers then conducted surveillance of the targeted location,” the affidavit states. “Another officer involved conducted surveillance of the defendant’s residence and observed him leave the mentioned residence after advising that he was on his way to the target location. Officers observed the defendant parked in the area of the target location, as officer noticed the defendant, the defendant messaged the covert account stating he was ‘Here.'”