Phoenix officer arrested for receiving and possessing child pornography

PHOENIX — A Phoenix police officer was arrested Friday on child pornography charges, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona announced Monday.

Alaa Robert Bartley, 41, faces federal charges for knowingly receiving and knowingly possessing child pornography, actions that took place between August 2020 and February 2022.

Bartley, while living in Gilbert, allegedly communicated via social media with an adult woman named Sarah Chadwick, who sent Bartley sex abuse images. Chadwick was charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.

According to the federal complaint, Bartley used a fictitious name to communicate with Chadwick but identified himself as a police officer and sent a picture of his face to her.

Between the two charges, Bartley is facing up to 40 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release. He had been with the Phoenix Police Department since 2007.

“What is alleged is contrary to the courageous work done everyday by the men and women of the Phoenix Police Department to protect one of the most vulnerable populations in our community, our children,” Interim Police Chief Michael Sullivan said in a statement.

The FBI conducted the investigation which resulted in Bartley’s arrest.

What did the FBI find after searching Sarah Chadwick’s phone?

The FBI used a federal search warrant to investigate Chadwick’s home and phone on Nov. 8.

Chadwick admitted to law enforcement that there were over 100 images of child pornography on her phone, and authorities learned she sent many images to other people over messaging apps, such as Wickr, Whatsapp and Telegram.

She also admitted to photographing the eight-year-old daughter of her boyfriend, whom she lived with, while the daughter was nude in the bathtub.

The FBI was able to connect Chadwick to offenders around the country, such as one in Ohio and one in Texas in addition to Bartley in Arizona.

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