Arlington officer arrested for allegedly having pictures of child sex abuse

Published 2:26 pm Wednesday, May 20, 2026

EVERETT — An Arlington police officer has been arrested on suspicion of possessing images of child sex abuse, officials said.

Dustin Bartlett, 41, was taken into custody Monday night after deputies served a search warrant at his home on Camano Island, according to a release from the Island County Sheriff’s Office.

Bartlett, an officer with the Arlington Police Department, is facing more than 10 counts of first-degree possession of depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, according to a probable cause statement from his arrest.

Barlett had his bail set at $100,000 during his initial court appearance on Wednesday, according to a release from the Island County Prosecutor’s Office.

Bartlett is also accused of a fourth-degree domestic violence assault charge, in addition to suspicion of possession of child sex abuse material, according to a release.

The alleged assault happened after Bartlett’s girlfriend found the sex abuse material on his computer, the prosecutor’s office said. Bartlett is also accused of trying to delete the images and lying to police about the content on his computer hard drive, the release said.

The Arlington Police Department said in a statement on Wednesday that the officer has been placed on administrative leave pending both criminal and internal administrative investigations.

“These allegations are deeply troubling and, if proven true, would stand in direct opposition to the values, oath, and mission of this Department,” according to the release.

The police department is cooperating with the investigation, the release said.

Bartlett had been an Arlington police officer for approximately eight years, a department spokesperson told The Daily Herald.

According to posts on the department’s social media, Bartlett was given the “Life Saving Award” along with two other officers, during a ceremony earlier this year. He also received a “Commendation Award” in 2024 for “a distinctive accomplishment under adverse conditions with some degree of hazard,” another post on social media said.

The sheriff’s office said the investigation is ongoing.

Ian Davis-Leonard: 425-339-3097; ian.davis-leonard@heraldnet.com