WASHINGTON, April 5 (Xinhua) -- A spokesman for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was arrested on Tuesday night amid allegations of attempting to seduce a child via the internet, the CNN news network reported on Wednesday.

    DHS Deputy Press Secretary Brian J. Doyle, 55, was arrested at his home in Maryland. He was charged with seven counts of using a computer to seduce a child and 16 counts of transmission of harmful material to a minor, according to the report.

    The report said Doyle on March 12 had contacted a computer crimes detective in Florida, who was posing online as a 14-year-old girl, and initiated a sexually explicit conversation with her.

    He knew the girl was 14 years old, and he told her who he was and that he worked for the U.S. DHS.

    As the two chatted online, Doyle gave the girl his home and office phone numbers, and the two had explicit telephone conversations.

    In addition, he used the internet to send hard-core pornographic movie clips to the girl, and used an instant-messaging service to have explicit online conversations with her.

    DHS officials said the agency would cooperate in the probe.

    Doyle is divorced and has children. Authorities believe he could have held similar conversations online with others. Enditem