PITTSBURGH — A Pittsburgh-area man is facing federal charges after authorities say he blackmailed teenage girls into sending him racy photos of themselves.

Federal prosecutors say 43-year-old Russell Freed also tried to use the pictures he had of one girl as leverage in extorting similarly risque photos from her mother.

Authorities say Freed solicited the photos from underage girls who thought they were sending them to someone else. When one girl balked at sending a photo, investigators say Freed sent her a topless picture of one of her friends.

Authorities learned of the scheme when a woman reported receiving messages via Facebook threatening to distribute her daughter’s photos unless she sent pictures of herself.

Freed was arrested Wednesday and remains in custody. It was not clear if he had an attorney.