A former Phoenix police officer is now a convicted federal defendant after admitting he secretly photographed a juvenile girl, according to court records. Under a plea deal, the ex-officer faces a negotiated multi-year prison term and will have to register as a sex offender, with formal sentencing set for Aug. 20, 2026.
According to 12News, 41-year-old Alaa R. Bartley admitted in court filings that he secretly photographed a juvenile girl without her knowledge and entered his guilty plea on Feb. 18. The outlet reports that the plea agreement calls for a sentencing range of 180 to 264 months in prison and requires Bartley to register under the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
The FBI opened the case in April 2024, and a federal grand jury later returned an indictment that charged Bartley with attempted production of child pornography, attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, and multiple counts of distributing, receiving, and possessing child pornography, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona. In its public statement, The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona said the indictment also alleged a 2019 attempt to photograph a 15-year-old in a bathroom.
The Phoenix Police Department says Bartley resigned from the force on April 18, 2024, after joining the department in 2007, according to a media advisory. In that statement, The Phoenix Police Department said detectives have identified cases for review going back to 2008 and that the agency is coordinating with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office on any follow-up that might be required.
Court filings and local coverage describe an investigation that began online. Phoenix New Times reported that investigators uncovered a large volume of messages, images, and files, and that some exchanges involved role-playing in which participants pretended to be minors or parents, details that were echoed in the charging documents.
Legal Implications And What Comes Next
Federal prosecutors have emphasized that the statutes in play carry severe maximum penalties. Attempted production of child pornography can result in 15 to 30 years in prison, attempted coercion and enticement of a minor can carry a potential life sentence, and each count of distributing, receiving, or possessing child pornography can bring up to 20 years, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The office said the prosecution is being brought under the Project Safe Childhood initiative, a long-running federal program focused on child exploitation cases.
Local reporting on the plea agreement indicates that, despite those high statutory maximums, both sides have agreed to the 180-to-264-month range and a requirement that Bartley register as a sex offender under SORNA, with sentencing set for Aug. 20, 2026. 12News reported those plea terms.
The Phoenix Police Department says it is committed to transparency as the federal case moves forward and that it will continue working with prosecutors on any case reviews tied to the investigation. AZFamily and other local outlets have detailed the indictment and the department’s internal review as the case heads toward sentencing.
