Cloquet man charged with child porn

Residents of Cloquet’s Aspen Arms apartments were alarmed last week when a large number of law enforcement officials parked in front of and behind the building, entering and remaining inside for a significant period of time, more than one resident told the Pine Knot News.

In the end, police arrested James Thomas Tuttle on suspicion of possessing and disseminating child pornography. The 31-year-old was living with his mother in the 74-unit public housing building run by the Cloquet/Carlton Housing & Redevelopment Agency.

According to the criminal complaint, the Cloquet Police Department was tipped off about possible child sexual exploitation material in December 2022 by the Internet Crimes Against Children, of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. The BCA had received the tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which learned of it from an electronic service provider.

In question were six video files which contained sexual material involving prepubescent females under the age of 14, dated Aug. 22, 2022. Using information from a KIK application search warrant — KIK is a free messaging app — the investigator was allegedly able to track the videos to Tuttle using his email and IP address, locating a modem within the Aspen Arms apartment Tuttle shared with his mother. The investigator also determined Tuttle was the only IP address to access the account during the relevant time period.

According to the criminal complaint, officers executed a search warrant of the apartment on Jan. 26 and interviewed Tuttle. During the interview, Tuttle allegedly told police he was a member of groups in the KIK application where child pornography was shared and stated that he was sharing similar material through direct messages on KIK. Electronic devices seized during the search are being analyzed.

Tuttle was charged with two felonies, disseminating and possessing pornographic work that involved a minor under age 14, on Friday, Jan. 27 in Sixth District Court in Carlton. Bond was set at $125,000 with a $12,500 cash option. He was also granted a public defender. On Wednesday, Judge Amy Lukasavitz denied a request for pretrial release without bail.

Tuttle has already served time with the Minnesota Department of Corrections for two previous convictions. Both were felony charges of distributing pornography to a child, one in Ramsey County in November 2014 and the other in Pine County in December 2014. Although his original sentences were stayed, his probation was revoked for a violation in 2017 and Tuttle was incarcerated at the Minnesota Correctional Facility-St. Cloud from July 2017 to November 2018.

Some residents at Aspen Arms are unhappy that Tuttle was allowed to live in the apartment building, considering he had been convicted of child pornography charges in the past.

Resident Cynthia Clark said she was not notified by building officials that a sexual offender was living in the building, and said she previously complained after learning about Tuttle’s history.

“There are children who live here, and lots of grandchildren who are in and out all the time,” she said. “I want to know why the Cloquet Housing Authority allowed him in the building.”

Cloquet/Carlton HRA executive director Debra Shaff did not respond to an email from the Pine Knot News before this issue went to press.