Eugene, Ore. — A Lane County Sheriff’s deputy has been arrested and faces multiple federal child exploitation charges after investigators allege he exchanged sexually explicit messages and images with children and persuaded minors to produce child sexual abuse material.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon, Dylan Ford, 29, made his initial appearance Thursday in federal court before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. The court ordered Ford detained pending further proceedings.
Federal prosecutors have charged Ford by criminal complaint with actual and attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, enticement of a minor, and receipt of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, investigators allege Ford used the encrypted messaging platform Telegram and applications featuring disappearing photos to initiate conversations with multiple children under the age of 16. Authorities allege those conversations developed into sexually explicit exchanges.
As part of the investigation, state and federal investigators obtained and executed a search warrant for Ford’s cell phone. Prosecutors allege the device contained numerous conversations with self-described minors in which Ford persuaded children to create and send custom child sexual abuse material. Court documents further allege Ford instructed some minors to perform specific sexual acts, including acts involving common household items.
Investigators also reported locating a video depicting a distressed minor carrying out various sexual acts.
According to prosecutors, Ford also allegedly sent some minors a social media profile photograph belonging to one of his law enforcement colleagues in an apparent attempt to conceal his own identity.
The Lane County Sheriff’s Office said it requested assistance from the Linn County Sheriff’s Office immediately after becoming aware of the allegations. The Linn County Sheriff’s Office subsequently contacted the FBI, which joined the investigation.
Ford was arrested July 28th by FBI agents.
The case was investigated by the FBI in coordination with the Linn County Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Will McLaren.
Anyone with information regarding the physical or online exploitation of children is encouraged to contact the FBI by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or by submitting a tip at tips.fbi.gov.
Federal authorities emphasized that child sexual abuse material documents the abuse of real children and that every distribution or viewing of such material further victimizes those depicted.
The case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide U.S. Department of Justice initiative that coordinates federal, state and local efforts to investigate and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children while working to identify and rescue victims.
As with all criminal complaints, the charges against Ford are allegations. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Mr. Alderman is an investigative journalist specializing in government transparency, non-profit accountability, consumer protection, and is a subject matter expert on Oregon’s public records and meetings laws. As a former U.S. Army Military Police Officer, he brings a disciplined investigative approach to his reporting that has frequently exposed ethics violations, financial mismanagement, and transparency failures by public officials and agencies.
