A judge ordered a jailed Butler man to stop pursuing an underage victim he allegedly filmed performing sexual acts last year.

Thomas P. Romspert, 29, is facing federal charges for allegedly exploiting a 16-year-old girl by filming her performing sexual acts and distributing the material. Authorities at the Butler County Prison, where Romspert is being held, notified prosecutors that Romspert allegedly contacted the victim by telephone and mail.

Prosecutors asked for a protective order to prevent Romspert from contacting the minor, and U.S. District Judge William Stickman IV granted the request.

Identical county charges were dismissed in February by the Attorney General's Office.

Romspert was charged by the county in November with five felony counts related to the alleged exploitation of the girl. It's unclear why the county case was dropped, and the Attorney General's Office did not respond to a request for comment.

The federal government filed a grand jury indictment in February, accusing Romspert of the same crime.

In the prosecutors' request for the protective order, they claim that they first alerted Romspert's lawyer, William McCabe, that they had obtained copies of the jail communications between Romspert and the minor.

Prosecutors asked McCabe if he would agree to a protective order preventing Romspert from contacting the minor. But McCabe told prosectors he wouldn't agree to the move without reviewing the communications because “it is (McCabe's) sense that Romspert and the victim were and are in a romantic relationship” and that he “can't assume the subject matter is (of a) criminal nature.”

Reviewing the correspondence, prosecutors determined that Romspert is attempting to maintain a “relationship with the minor.” They note that in one call Romspert told the minor, “You really are my heart and soul,” and he told her that he was distressed “at the thought that I wasn't going to see you again.”

He also claims his love for her and allegedly said, “I don't want you to move on,” and “I don't want you to be with anyone else.”

During the call, according to prosecutors, the minor asks Romspert, “How do you want me to move on from this? Meaning, the trauma you have caused.”

Romspert responds, “I don't know. I just want to move forward.”

And Romspert asks the minor “you don't love me?” She replies, “I hate you.”

At the end of the conversation, Romspert “tries to convince the minor that 'we have to try' to be together.” He tells the minor he doesn't want to “break up” with her.

Prosecutors note that “the minor can be heard screaming, in response, 'I'm done trying' and 'I am not the problem, you are.'”

In the prosecutors' request, they also ask the judge to bar Romspert from contacting any person under the age of 18 along with the victim.

Romspert is being held in jail after federal prosecutors asked Stickman for his detention, arguing Romspert is a danger to the community and a flight risk.

In the original county charges, police said Oct. 28 that authorities received a ChildLine report about the possible exploitation of the victim. State agents spoke to the girl, who told them that she met Romspert through a mutual friend, according to charging documents. She recounted that he eventually began taking “photos and video (of her) engaging in sex acts,” the documents said. “(She) stated that the images and videos taken by (the defendant) are on her phone.”

The agents viewed the images, investigators said, that depicted the victim “nude and engaged in indecent sexual contact.” The girl said the defendant knew she was “young enough to get him in trouble,” according to documents.