Stafford County Sheriff’s Detective C. Darryl Wells routinely conducts covert investigations on Internet sites that are known to be involved in the trading of child pornographic pictures and videos.

During one such investigation, he discovered an individual posting pictures of pre-pubescent females and males involved in sexual acts with adults. Some of the children looked as young as five or six years old. Identifying information related to the subject posting the pictures was obtained. It was determined through this information that the individual was located in Pacific, Missouri. As the investigation continued, the same individual posted additional pictures on 16 different dates.

The Internet subscriber was identified as Thomas Joseph Mueller of Cedar Ridge Drive in Pacific, Missouri. Through investigative efforts it was determined that Mueller was the individual posting the pictures. Detective Wells contacted the police department in Pacific, Missouri and provided them with the information regarding this activity. That agency contacted the Missouri Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce.

On October 18, 2016 the St. Louis County Police executed a search warrant at the address on Cedar Ridge Drive. Several hundred child pornographic pictures were found on Mueller’s computer. Missouri authorities requested that Stafford County place charges on Mueller.

It was also determined that Mueller had once been a law enforcement officer in Missouri and had previously been charged with sexual exploitation of a young girl in another jurisdiction in Missouri.

On October 19, 2016 Detective Wells obtained a total of 70 felony arrest warrants for Mueller for the Possession of Child Pornography. Mueller will be held in jail in Missouri until he is extradited to Stafford County.