Elk River Man Sentenced in Stearns County Child Sex Sting

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

Forty-five-year-old Kyle Barton received 10 days in jail and will be on probation for five years. He gets credit for already serving four of those days.

Barton 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 were 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. 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.