Arlington police officer accused of possessing child porn arrested again after violating court order
Jun 2, 2026, 6:03 AM | Updated: 10:05 am
A photo of an Arlington Police Department vehicle. (Photo courtesy of the Arlington Police Department)
(Photo courtesy of the Arlington Police Department)
An Arlington police officer who was previously arrested for possessing child sexual abuse material was arrested again on Friday for violating the conditions of his release.
The Island County Sheriff’s Office arrested the officer, 41-year-old Dustin Bartlett, late last month for allegedly possessing images depicting children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, the Arlington Police Department said in a statement to KIRO Newsradio.
The officer has been accused of having more than 1,000 files of child sex abuse materials. His girlfriend turned in two hard drives of child pornography to deputies after finding the images in their Camano Island home.
“She’s very brave,” Sarah Graham, one of Bartlett’s neighbors, told KIRO 7. “I give her a lot of credit for being strong enough. Cause a lot of women wouldn’t feel able to do that.”
A criminal investigation is underway. Department leaders called the allegations “deeply troubling.”
The officer was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of both the criminal investigation and an internal administrative investigation.
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Officer returns home after arrest, violating conditions of his release
Last Friday, Bartlett returned home after he was released on bail, prompting neighbors to call 911. He was under an order that prohibited him from getting near his girlfriend.
“The Arlington Police Department is aware that Dustin Bartlett was arrested by the Island County Sheriff’s Office over the weekend for allegedly violating the conditions of his pre-trial release,” the Arlington Police Department stated. “At the time of his initial arrest, Bartlett was relieved of police powers and placed on administrative leave. That status remains unchanged at this time.”
Bartlett made his first court appearance over the phone on Saturday.
The Arlington Police Department additionally stated Bartlett’s most recent arrest will not affect the initial investigation for child pornography led by the Island County Sheriff’s Office.
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