The founder of Virginia-based defense startup Govini was arrested on charges of attempting to solicit a pre-teen girl for sexual contact in Pennsylvania, authorities said Monday.
The founder, Eric Gillespie, 57, was charged with four felonies, including multiple counts of unlawful contact with a minor, according to the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office.
Gillespie, who lives in Pittsburgh, was denied bail by the judge, citing flight risk and concerns over public safety.
His company has a $900-million U.S. government contract and multiple deals with the Defense Department.
Govini, which last month announced it had passed $100 million in annual recurring revenue and is considered a prominent "unicorn" in the defense technology space, is a key partner in the U.S. Army's Next Generation Command Control program.
Pentagon officials told CNBC they are looking into the arrest and possible security issues.
Gillespie lists himself as executive chairman of the company on his LinkedIn page.
Gillespie was considered an expert in transparency in government and was appointed to the Freedom of Information Act Advisory Committee by the Obama Administration in 2014.
The White House has referred all security clearance questions to the Department of Defense.
An agent posed as an adult on an online chat platform that the AG's office said was often utilized by offenders who try to arrange meetings with children, and engaged in a conversation with Gillespie.
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