A Phoenix police officer finds himself on the wrong side of the law after a federal grand jury indicted him on charges related to child pornography and exploitation. Alaa Robert Bartley, 41, of Gilbert, has been ordered to remain in custody until his trial, following his indictment on Tuesday.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Arizona, the indictment hit Bartley with a string of counts, including Attempted Production of Child Pornography; Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor, and Distributing, Receiving, and Possessing Child Pornography between August 2020 and August 2023. Bartley is also accused of attempting in 2019, to capture sexually explicit images of a 15-year-old girl in a bathroom.

Furthering the case against him, from December 2023 to April 2024, Bartley allegedly used interstate commerce facilities in an attempt to involve another minor in illegal sexual conduct. The charges carry heavy penalties, the Attempted Production of Child Pornography alone could land Bartley in prison for 15-30 years, with each of the distribution, receipt, or possession charges clocking in at a maximum of 20 years behind bars.

Even though the indictment lays out serious accusations against Bartley, it is important to remember that it is merely a formal charge. An indictment does not presume guilt, and as reported by the Justice Department, "an individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt." The Federal Bureau of Investigation is digging deeper into the case, and the prosecution is in the hands of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.