MT. VERNON –A 55-year-old Mt. Vernon man is in custody for out-of-state charges accusing him of child solicitation and sexual misconduct with a minor.

According to Mt. Vernon Police Chief Trent Page, officers arrested Jonathan Mericle on the Posey County, IN warrant around 4:20 Friday afternoon in the 600 block of Jordan Street.

According to Indiana authorities, Mericle exchanged pictures and text messages with an Indiana girl under the age of 16. The two then allegedly met at an undisclosed location on June 14 in Mount Vernon, Indiana, where they allegedly had sex.

Mericle is being held at the Jefferson County, Illinois, jail, and has been charged with sexual misconduct of a minor and child solicitation. Both offenses are Level 4 felonies. Bail has been set at $200,000.

The Indiana Department of Child Services and Mount Vernon, Illinois, police department assisted in the investigation.