DES MOINES, Iowa - A Des Moines man pleaded guilty on May 1, 2026, to three counts of attempted sexual exploitation of a child and one count of possession of child pornography.

According to public court documents, Tyler Boyd Pavlick, 33, placed a mini video camera in the tank of a porta-potty at three Central Iowa events: co-ed middle school and high school cross-county meets, one held in State Center on September 23, 2025, and another held in Osceola on September 30, 2025; and an arts, craft, and harvest event held in Des Moines on October 4, 2025. Pavlick placed the cameras with the purpose of creating visual depictions of minors lasciviously exhibiting their anus, genitals, or pubic area. Law enforcement seized electronic devices during a search of Pavlick's Des Moines residence on October 15, 2025, including mini cameras that were the same model as those seized by police from the porta-potties in State Center and Des Moines. One of the electronic devices seized from Pavlick's residence contained video footage of minors using the porta-potty at the Osceola event, including footage of a minor under the age of 12.

Pavlick is scheduled to be sentenced on July 31, 2026 at 9:15am. Each of the three counts of attempted sexual exploitation of a child carry a mandatory minimum sentence of at least 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. The possession of child pornography charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the United States sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The FBI Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force, Marshall County Sheriff's Office, Des Moines Police Department, and Iowa DCI Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force are investigating this case. Assistant United States Attorney Adam Kerndt is prosecuting the case.