A Casper man on the state’s sex offender list has been arrested on suspicion of sexual exploitation of children after Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation agents found sexually explicit photos of underage children were uploaded from a device traced to him.
Timothy Wayne Wales, 43, was arrested Jan. 16 following an investigation by special agents from DCI’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, who received a tip about him from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, court records show. That led to special agents in Casper to Wales.
During that investigation, agents found child pornography had been posted online from a device they connected to Wales, according to court records.
Wales had been living with a girlfriend who had minor children. One of those children was identified in images posted by Wales, court records allege.
Previous Record
Court records show Wales had previously been on probation and parole for sex-related federal crimes, including coercion and enticement for illegal sexual activity and sexual exploitation of children.
He’s also on DCI’s sex offender database showing two incidents in 2004 of sexual exploitation of children. Records show he had previously admitted to viewing child pornography while on probation and had failed a lie detector test.
Under the current charges against him, Wales faces two counts of the sexual exploitation of children that involve possession of child pornography. Those charges allege that between Nov. 1, 2023, and Jan. 17, 2024, he “did unlawfully and knowingly possess child pornography.” Those charges carry a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $10,000 or both.
The other two counts of sexual exploitation of children involve manufacture and distribution of child pornography stemming from an incident Dec. 18, 2023. Both of those counts carry a maximum penalty of up to 12 years in prison and a $12,000 fine or both.
Wales waived his preliminary hearing in Casper Circuit Court on Jan. 25. He remains free on a $75,000 cash or surety bond while he awaits his appearance in Natrona County District Court. Terms of the bond include no contact with minor children.
Dale Killingbeck can be reached at dale@cowboystatedaily.com.
