A West Tennessee man faces federal charges in the disappearance of a Wartburg teen late last year.

Federal court documents show 45-year-old Richard Edward Gilliland of Dyer County, Tennessee, faces charges of knowingly transporting a minor in interstate commerce for illegal sexual activity, knowingly using a facility of interstate commerce to entice a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, and knowingly using a facility of interstate commerce to entice a minor to produce child pornography.

The 14-year-old girl was reported missing by her mother December 3, 2018. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation eventually joined in the search.

On December 31, police in Dyersburg received a tip that the girl was in a Walmart store. When police arrived, officers interviewed her and she stated she met Gilliland, a truck driver, on dating app Meet24.

During a January 2 video interview, she said talked with Gilliand for a couple days until he came to pick her up at the Rite Aid store across the street from her home. They then drove north to Kentucky. She said just outside of Lexington or Franklin, Gilliland began “coming on” to her and they had sexual intercourse.

She said Gilliland parked his car in his trucking company’s parking lot and they then got into his work truck. The two traveled through multiple states, where they continued to have sexual intercourse.

The teen said Gilliland left her in his truck at a truck stop in Dyersburg December 29. She was found a couple days later.

Officers tracked Gilliland to Bowling Green, Kentucky, where he was taken into custody. He confirmed meeting the teen on Meet24 and said they communicated about engaging in sexual contact. He also admitted being aware of her age when he asked for a naked photo to ensure she wasn’t a police officer.

Documents say Gilliland told officers he told the teen just after Christmas she had to leave. He said he had sexual contact with her at least eight times, in several states. He also admitted taking a nude photo of the girl with his cell phone; Gilliland claimed he deleted it, but law enforcement later found evidence of the photo on his phone.

Conversations between the two on Meet24 showed the teen told Gilliland she was in an untenable living situation with her family.