Mille Lacs Co. Reserve Deputy Charged with Child Porn Distribution

Tyler Pettit (Credit: Mille Lacs County Sheriff’s Office)

A man who has worked as a reserve deputy with the Mille Lacs County Sheriff’s Office has been charged with four felony counts of disseminating pornographic work involving a minor under the age of 14.

28-year-old Tyler Pettit of Isle was charged in Mille Lacs County Court on September 19th. He’s accused of sending videos that contain child sexual abuse with victims under the age of 14.

In a message on Facebook, Mille Lacs County Sheriff Kyle Burton said that Pettit was placed on administrative leave on June 5th while the Isanti County Sheriff’s Office investigated the child pornography allegations before a warrant was issued for his arrest.

” Once we got this warrant, I personally went up to his house in Isle and I arrested him, myself, with some other staff with me,” said Burton in his video message. “And I drove him to jail and I booked him in. I felt that it was important that that come from me, that as the sheriff, I’m going to hold you accountable, especially if you are somebody who had previously represented this office and now, you know, got involved in something like this that definitely is a black eye for the profession.”

Burton says a background check on Pettit was conducted before he was hired by Mille Lacs County. Burton also explained that a reserve deputy is not a sworn-in officer but is instead someone who volunteers and helps with community and special events like parades in the county.

Pettit posted $20,000 bond with conditions and is not currently in custody.