Lebanon — A 56-year-old Piermont man was charged with attempted sexual assault and prohibited use of computer services after allegedly trying to arrange to have sex with who he thought was a 15-year-old girl, Lebanon police said in a news release on Friday.

Police arrested Mark Hewes, of Piermont, in the parking lot of a West Lebanon convenience store late Thursday afternoon after they said he expressed interest online in meeting for sex with a person he believed to be a 15-year-old female. His correspondent was, in fact, a police officer.

Hewes’ arrest is part of a larger effort by Lebanon police to use social media to target “individuals looking to victimize children,” the news release said.

Hewes’ bail was set at $20,000 cash. He was being held at the Grafton County House of Corrections after being arraigned on the felony charges on Friday in Grafton County Superior Court.