PACIFIC, Mo. — A former Missouri law enforcement officer from Franklin County has been charged with possession of child pornography after a cross-state sting operation allegedly discovered the porn on the suspect’s computer, investigators say.
Thomas Joseph Mueller, 53, of Cedar Ridge Drive in Pacific, Mo. was allegedly posting pictures of prepubescent females and males involved in sexual acts with adults. Investigators say some of the children looked to be as young as 5- or 6-years old.
Mueller was identified during an internet sting operation led by the Sheriff’s Department in Stafford County, Virginia.
Authorities say officers in St. Louis executed a search warrant for Mueller’s computer and found several hundred child pornographic pictures. He was arrested at his home in Pacific on Tuesday.
A total of 70 felony arrest warrants have been issued for Mueller.
Mueller was formerly a law enforcement officer in Missouri and he had previously been charged with sexual exploitation of a young girl in another part of the state, according to Virginia officials.
Mueller is currently in the Franklin County jail.
The investigation is ongoing.
