Major Pentagon contractor executive caught in child sex sting operation

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The founder and executive chairman of Govini, a software firm with deep Pentagon ties, has been arrested and charged with soliciting sexual contact with a preteen girl, according to the Pennsylvania attorney general’s office.

Eric Gillespie, 57, of Pittsburgh, allegedly tried to arrange a meeting with a young girl through an online chat platform often used by sex offenders, authorities said. An undercover agent posing as an adult intercepted Gillespie’s messages.

"Our Child Predator Section proactively uncovered this defendant who, under an online pseudonym, was lurking online to access children," Attorney General Dave Sunday said. "During the investigation, Gillespie alluded to methods he accessed children, and other evidence was found regarding contact with children," the office said in a statement.

Gillespie was denied bail, with a judge citing flight risk and public safety concerns. He faces four felony counts, including multiple charges of unlawful contact with a minor.

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Govini founder Eric Gillespie was caught in a child sex sting operation.  (Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General)

A company spokesperson told Fox News Digital that Govini fired Gillespie on Wednesday and removed him from the board. 

"The Govini Board of Directors terminated Eric Gillespie from the organization, including as a member of the Board, effective immediately. Mr. Gillespie stepped down from the role of CEO almost a decade ago and had no access to classified information. Govini is an organization that has been built by over 250 people who share a profound commitment to America’s national security, including veterans, reservists, and people who have dedicated their lives to causes greater than themselves. The actions of one depraved individual should not in any way diminish the hard work of the broader team and their commitment to the security of the United States of America."

Govini develops artificial-intelligence software used by the Pentagon and other agencies to analyze large volumes of government and commercial data, including defense budgets, industrial-base capacity, supply chains, and acquisition programs.

The company has landed major federal contracts in recent years, including a five-year, $400 million Pentagon contract in 2019 and a 10-year agreement valued at $919 million announced in April 2025 with the Defense Department and General Services Administration to build a supply-chain risk platform.

"Our Child Predator Section proactively uncovered this defendant who, under an online pseudonym, was lurking online to access children," Attorney General Dave Sunday said. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

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Earlier this month, Govini said it surpassed $100 million in annual recurring revenue and secured a $150 million growth investment, according to a news release by the company.

Gillespie has been arrested and charged with soliciting sexual contact with a preteen girl, according to the Pennsylvania attorney general’s office. (Tim Leedy/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images)

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"I founded Govini to create an entirely new category of software built to transform how the U.S. government uses AI and data to make decisions," Gillespie had said in that release.

The firm describes itself as "trusted by every department of the U.S. military" and says its flagship analytics platform supports defense acquisition, supply-chain and modernization work.