BOSTON (AP) — A Massachusetts man has been sentenced to eight years in prison for sending an explicit photo of himself to someone he thought was a 13-year-old girl and for being in possession of child pornography, federal prosecutors said Friday.

David Cerasuolo, 49, of Plainville, engaged in online conversations starting in June 2020 with the person he thought was a 13-year-old girl, but who was actually an undercover federal agent, the U.S. attorney's office in Boston said.

Over the next few weeks, he sent more than 1,000 text messages to that person, including one that contained an explicit photo of himself, prosecutors said. He also attempted to persuade the person to to take and send photos and videos of herself to him and attempted to entice her into meeting for sex, prosecutors said.

During the investigation, agents also found child pornography on his cellphone, authorities said.

Cerasuolo pleaded guilty in March to attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor and possession of child pornography. In addition to the prison term, he was sentenced to five years of probation.