Elk River Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sex Sting Charge

ST. CLOUD (WJON News) -- An Elk River man has pleaded guilty after getting caught in a solicitation of a child sting out of Stearns County.

Forty-five-year-old Kyle Barton has pleaded guilty to a felony charge of engaging in electronic communication describing sexual conduct with a child. Two other charges involving sexual conduct with a child will be dismissed at his sentencing.

According to the charges, an undercover officer with the Central Minnesota Human Trafficking Task Force set up the profile of a teenage girl in an online chat room known for the solicitation of minors.

On November 4th, 2022 court records show Barton made contact with whom he thought was a 15-year-old girl. Records show the conversation quickly turned sexual with Barton initiating the conversation.

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Barton was also accused of asking for nude pictures.

Police say Barton asked to set up a time to meet in St. Cloud and when Barton showed up at the address they provided, he was arrested and booked into the Stearns County Jail.

Barton will be sentenced on March 31st.