A U.S. Secret Service officer charged with sending a series of sexually inappropriate text messages to a 16-year-old Brecknock Township girl will have his case proceed to county court after waiving his preliminary hearing earlier this month.

Tristan William Hale, of Arlington, Va., waived his preliminary hearing before Judge Jonathan Heisse on March 11 on six counts of possessing child sexual abuse material and one count each of communicating with a minor for sexual abuse, corruption of minors, disseminating explicit material of a minor and unlawful contact with a minor.

Hale, 28, is accused of sending the messages to the victim between October 2025 and January 2026.

A forensic examination of Hale’s phone uncovered a lengthy, sexually explicit conversation in which he fantasized committing sexual acts against the victim. Hale also possessed multiple nude images of the victim on his phone and had sent the victim several images of his genitals.

Investigators in Lancaster County began looking into Hale after the victim reported the abuse in January.

Hale is currently free on $40,000 unsecured bail.

Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Nicholas Reginella filed the charges.

Assistant District Attorney Fritz Haverstick will prosecute the case.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.