NEW BRUNSWICK - A 23-year-old Highland Park man has been arrested in connection with allegedly kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 16-year-old Pennsylvania girl he met online anddrove five hours to his home.

Andrew X. Carnegie-Blackman was charged Thursday with kidnapping and human trafficking, both first degree crimes, two counts of sexual assault, criminal sexual contact, endangering the welfare of a child and tampering with physical evidence, Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey and Highland Park Police Chief Rick Abrams said in a release.

He was scheduled to make his first court appearance Friday afternoon.

Highland Park police were contacted Wednesday by the West Newton Police Department in Pennsylvania about a 16-year-old runaway who might be at a Highland Park home. Police went to the South Adelaide Avenue home and found the girl.

She was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick to be assessed, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

Carnegie-Blackman was taken into custody on Thursday.

News reports indicated the girl was last seen at her home about 1:30 p.m. Tuesday and was reported missing about 5 p.m.

READ:Highland Park man gets new hearing in New Brunswick attempted murder

A preliminary investigation indicates Carnegie-Blackman drove to Pennsylvania to pick up the 16-year old girl after they met on social media and brought her back to his New Jersey home, the release states.

West Newton, Pennsylvania, is 337 miles from Highland Park, a more than five hour drive each way.

Several Pennsylvania media outlets released reports of the missing girl, including searches in rivers and trails to find her. In one news story, the West Newton police chief said a friend of the teen told law enforcement on Wednesday afternoon that she was in Highland Park.

According to the complaint, between Tuesday and Thursday, Carnegie-Blackman unlawfully removed another from their place of residence and unlawfully confined another for a substantial period to deprive a parent of custody of the victim.

The complaint also states that during those dates Carnegie-Blackman allegedly committed an act of sexual penetration on the victim by use of physical force and engaged in sexual conduct which would impair the morals of the victims.

The affidavit of probable cause states that an investigation indicates Carnegie-Blackman met and recruited the victim on social media and the two made arrangements for Carnegie-Blackman to transport her on Tuesday from her home in Pennsylvania, where she lived with her family, to his home in Highland Park to allegedly engage in sexual activity.

While in Highland Park, Carnegie-Blackman allegedly engaged in sexual conduct that would impair the morals of a child. Also during this time Carnegie-Blackman, who believed an investigation had been initiated, allegedly deleted phone records of the communication between himself and the girl, authorities said.

The investigation is continuing. Anyone with information is asked to call Highland Park police Sgt. Jason Culver or Detective Sean McGraw at 732-572-3800.

Suzanne Russell covers crime, courts and other forms of mayhem from throughout the Central Jersey area for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact her at srussell@gannettnj.com