Ramsey County sheriff's deputy charged in child solicitation sting

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A North St. Paul man who works with the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office is accused of using a messaging app to send sexual messages and images to undercover officers he believed were minors.

Undercover operation leads to felony charges 

What we know:

According to a criminal complaint filed in Washington County District Court, the East Metro Human Trafficking Task Force set up undercover KIK accounts in March and May 2026, posing as a 15-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy.

Investigators say Chadd William Muellner, 34, used the handle "midwestguy0303" to send explicit messages and images to both profiles. The complaint details that Muellner allegedly sent multiple photos of his private parts and described sexual acts, including digital penetration, oral sex and intercourse. Charges say the undercover officers made it clear they were portraying minors, and Muellner continued the conversations.

Investigators say in the complaint Muellner also exchanged hundreds of messages and dozens of media files with other KIK users during the same time period. Officers traced the online activity to Muellner using email, phone records and information from his parents, who confirmed his phone number. When confronted, Muellner initially denied involvement, claimed he had been hacked and said, "this would be a career-ender" for him. 

He later admitted to resetting his phone and lying about losing it. The investigation also revealed that Muellner had previously used other people's photos in online chats, according to a witness. 

The backstory:

KIK is a messaging app known for its anonymity, which has raised concerns about youth safety, cyberbullying and exploitation.

The task force created undercover profiles specifically to address these risks and catch individuals attempting to exploit minors online. In this case, officers say Muellner continued to pursue explicit conversations even after being told he was communicating with people he believed were underage.

Investigators also seized Muellner's phones and reviewed jail calls, where he and a witness discussed past online behavior. 

The complaint notes that after Muellner was taken into custody, messages sent to his KIK account were delivered but never viewed.

Muellner placed on leave

What they're saying:

The Ramsey County Sheriff's Office on Thursday confirmed Muellner's arrest, and said he has been placed on administrative leave while they conduct an internal investigation.

Muellner has been employed by the sheriff’s office for 11 years. He worked as a correctional officer in the jail for two years and as a sheriff's deputy for the past nine. He has no previous discipline.