MARYVILLE (WATE) -- A Fort Campbell soldier was arrested in a hotel in a Maryville motel Saturday with a 15-year-old girl, according to the Blount County Sheriff's Office.
Joseph Michael Pescetelli, 27, is charged with sexual exploitation of a minor, especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor and soliciting a minor for sex.
The Sheriff's Office HEAT (Hi-Tech Evidence and Technology) Unit was contacted by the Maryville Police Department regarding Pescetelli.
Earlier in the evening, Maryville police detectives responded to the motel to check on a 15-year-old girl who was in a motel room with Pescetelli.
During questioning, Pescetelli told the detectives that he and the girl met in an online chat room, and had been corresponding regularly for the past couple of months. He also told the detectives he had his laptop with him and he had downloaded child pornography on it.
The HEAT Unit was contacted and Pescetelli was taken to the Justice Center.
An investigator with the HEAT Unit interviewed Pescetelli, and he again admitted he had come to Blount County to meet the girl and had child pornography on his laptop.
Fort Campbell spokeswoman Cathy Gramling confirmed that Pescetelli was stationed at the post, but could not give his rank or how long he had been in the military.
Pescetelli is being held on a $400,000 bond. He's due for a court appearance on December 28.
The jail did not have an attorney listed for him.
