A Missouri deputy sheriff and his wife have been arrested on charges of attempted sex trafficking of a child under 12 and attempted use of a child in a sexual peformance.
The St. Francois County Sheriff’s Department said that David K. Blankenship, 39, and Karlie Blankenship, 28, are being held without bond.
The department said it fired David Blankenship “immediately upon command staff being briefed on the allegations by members of the Missouri State Highway Patrol,” but it did not say when that briefing took place.
On her Facebook account, Karlie Blankenship identifies herself as a “shift supervisor at St. Francois County 911.” It’s not clear if she is still employed by the county.
The MSHP conducted the investigation and charges were filed on Friday, KSDK reported.
The investigation began in March when investigators were told about a TikTok account associated with the deputy that had uploaded a video of suspected child abuse. A search warrant found that the deputy was using the account, which he also used to communicate with his wife.
Court documents said the couple had “sexually themed conversations” via direct message and shared video of young girls they found attractive. The couple also discussed their sexual attraction to children and “how to locate children that are local,” the documents said.
The messages “support the belief the pair were actively planning to sexually traffic and child and use that child in a sexual performance,” the documents said.
An additional search warrant executed at the Blankenships’ home uncovered further evidence.
“As these disturbing allegations continue to come to light, Sheriff (Daniel) Bullock, and the entire department, are angered and dismayed at the betrayal of public trust by this individualm” the sheriff’s department said in its statement.
The Blankenships are being held without bond, David at the Ste. Genevieve County Jail and Karlie at the Jefferson County Jail.
