Bloomington police say a local man is at the center of an ongoing child exploitation investigation after detectives arrested Morgan Carleton on suspicion of possessing child sexual abuse material. The department announced Friday that Carleton was booked on related charges and that the case is still very much active, with investigators saying they believe there could be more victims or witnesses who have not yet come forward.
Tip From National Center Triggers Bloomington Search
In a Facebook reel posted March 13, the Bloomington Police Department says detectives opened the case after receiving information from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. That tip led officers to a search warrant, where investigators report finding alleged child sexual abuse material.
The reel identifies Morgan Carleton as the person arrested in connection with the investigation and notes that detectives are still working to identify any additional victims and witnesses. Police say evidence from the search will be turned over to prosecutors as a forensic review of the seized material continues.
Booking Records Reflect Child Exploitation Charge Code
Recent public booking ledgers and weekly arrest statistics posted by the department note entries under Minn. Stat. §617.247.4(a), the state code for possession of child sexual abuse material. Those PDFs appear on the city’s police data dashboard and include charge codes and booking times that match the type of offense detectives say is at issue in this case, according to the department’s published reports (BPD booking ledger).
How Cases Like This Usually Land On Detectives’ Desks
Cases involving child sexual abuse material are often set in motion by online tipoffs. Technology companies file reports to the CyberTipline, which are then reviewed and sent to local agencies by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. As NCMEC explains, those referrals can contain account details or IP information that help investigators seek search warrants and pinpoint potential suspects…