WATERBURY, Connecticut (AP) - A 45-year-old man is accused of posing as a member of the popular boy band One Direction online to entice young girls into performing sex acts.

The Waterbury Republican-American reports John Eastman was arraigned in Superior Court on Thursday on charges including employing a minor in an obscene performance.

According to an arrest warrant, Eastman used the screen name Harry.Styles888 on Skype and had pictures of the One Direction singer on his computer, which were used to convince children he was the star.

Authorities say Eastman would sometimes offer concert tickets in exchange for children posing naked or performing sex acts online. They say Eastman's web cam captured pornographic images of children believed to be as young as 5-years-old.

He is being held in lieu of US$500,000 (S$625,000) bond.