Mentor, Minnesota (trfnews.i234.me) — A 22-year-old Mentor man is facing six felony charges in Polk County after investigators said they found more than 300 files of suspected child sexual abuse material on his phone.
Scott Lee Tyler was charged in Polk County District Court with six felony counts of possession of child sexual abuse material involving a minor under age 14. Court records say the case was filed on Thursday. Tyler was later arrested.
Case Filed in Polk County
According to the criminal complaint, a Polk County Sheriff’s Office investigator applied for a search warrant for Tyler’s cellphone on Feb. 5. The application followed a review of evidence received from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
The complaint says the investigator later spoke with Tyler at his workplace in Crookston. During that contact, Tyler allegedly said he had added underage people on Snapchat. He also said he had used several Instagram accounts. The complaint states that Tyler told the investigator that if anything sexual had happened, he did not know the person was underage.
Investigators Report More Than 300 Files
After the warrant was carried out, investigators reported finding about 315 unique images and 39 unique videos that they identified as suspected child sexual abuse material. The six charges in the case are tied to three videos and three images, according to the complaint.
The complaint says the files involved children under 14. Some of the children were described as very young. The filing includes details about the content. Those details are not being repeated here because of the ages involved and the nature of the allegations.
The case now moves through the court process in Polk County. Formal charges are allegations only. A defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Where to Find More Information
Readers can follow the case through Minnesota Court Records Online. More information about local law enforcement is available through the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. Tips involving online child exploitation can also be reported through the NCMEC CyberTipline.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.