The government alleges that from August 2007 to September 2007, Robert A. Singer engaged in several instant messaging "chats" and electronic mail communications over the Internet with individuals whom he believed to be a 33-year-old mother (the mother) and her 12-year-old daughter (the daughter).

There was a catch though: Singer, prosecutors say, was actually dealing with a detective with the New York City Police Department, who was posing as both the mother and the daughter.

According to a government complaint, on five separate occasions in August 2007, Singer, 49, allegedly sent several images of child pornography over the Internet to the mother and the daughter, including images depicting sexual acts between minors and adults and images depicting known victims of child exploitation.

In his electronic communications with the daughter, police say, Singer pretended to be a 15-year-old boy. Shortly after allegedly sending the daughter two images depicting child pornography, Singer instructed the daughter to "just delete it when you are done," police say.

A search of an AOL account led police to Singer and other child porn images. Singer was arrested in Falls Church, Va. If convicted, he faces up to 180 years in prison.

He is scheduled to appear before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia later today.

Garcia praised the investigative work of ICE and the NYPD in this case and also thanked the Bronx District Attorney's Office for its help and cooperation and for referring the case to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. Cronan is in charge of the prosecution.

The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.