A former Buchanan County Jail Detention Officer found himself behind bars after being accused of trying to engage in sexual activity with a minor.

34-year-old Patrick M. Symington of St. Joseph was charged Friday in Buchanan County with a felony for enticement of a child.

Court documents state that Symington contacted a 14-year-old girl via Facebook instant messenger sometime between July 1 and 10 and requested that she travel to his home in the 600 block of Shady to engage in sexual conduct.

“A day prior to the contact via Facebook.com’s Instant Messanger with the juvenile child Mr. Symington made personal physical contact with the victim by grabbing her buttocks and making lurid graphic request for her to engage in sexual contact with him,” Thomas Cates said in the probable cause statement.

Buchanan County Sheriff Mike Strong said Symington is no longer employed with the county but did not go into further details.

Symington is out on $10,000 bond.

He was scheduled to appear in court for an arraignment Tuesday morning.