A Howell police officer is facing charges after he allegedly tried to meet with a girl he believed to be 15 years old.

Authorities say that an undercover officer staged a meeting with Sgt. Richard Conte, who was off duty at the time.

Conte allegedly arranged to meet with the undercover officer, whom he believed to be a 15-year-old girl. Conte was arrested Thursday evening.

“It sickened me to learn one of my officers, a highly competent supervisor nonetheless and one that I have worked alongside with for many years on the SWAT team, not only defied my trust, but fellow officers as well. But most importantly, defied the public’s trust and expectations of a police officer,” Howell Police Chief Andrew Kudrick said in a statement on Facebook.

Conte serves as the supervisor of Monmouth County's Emergency Response Team.

Kudrick says that authorities are investigating whether Conte acted inappropriately while he was on duty.