A Yale employee was arrested last week for attempting to entice a person he believed to be a minor via online conversations.

Richard Esposito, an office assistant in the Alumni Services Development Department, is accused of having had sexually graphic conversations online with undercover Connecticut State Police officers whom Esposito believed to be minors, according to the Connecticut Department of Public Safety. The 49-year-old Esposito is charged with one count of criminal attempt at impairing the morals of a minor and one count of criminal attempt at enticement of a minor.

Esposito has been suspended from his job, Vice President for Development Inge Reichenbach said in an e-mail message.

“In police matters, we presume innocence and do an internal review,” added Vice President for Human Resources and Administration Michael Peel. “We generally wait until the outcome of legal matter to determine what action to take.”

State police searched Esposito’s Wallingford, Conn., house and office on 157 Church St., seizing several computers and computer-related equipment from both locations, which will be analyzed by the Computer Crimes unit of the State Police. Esposito was arrested at his Yale office, a University official said.

Esposito did not return multiple calls to his home and office. He was released on a $20,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in New Haven Superior Court on March 11.

Victor Zapana and Paul Needham contributed reporting.