Thomas John De Matteis

Alabama native, 54-year-old Thomas de Matteis, was sentenced to serve 10 years in prison for enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity.

Matteis pleaded guilty to the charge in November of 2016.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) started the investigation when they revealed he communicated online, at home and at work, with a law enforcement agent posing as a 14-year-old girl. Mattteis was employed by NASA at the time of the crime.

Matteis was arrested in February 2016, after he drove to Chattanooga expecting to meet the 14-year-old and engage in sexual activity with her.