Authorities say Thompson Falls sex offender violated probation

A child sex predator is locked up in the Flathead County Detention Center after authorities say he violated his probation by viewing online pornography.

Karl Cilroy Wortley, 41, of Thompson Falls, was booked into jail on Tuesday, July 20, for a revocation of a suspended sentence from a case in 2014.

Wortley was first jailed in Sanders County on July 9 after being arrested by two Thompson Falls police officers at his home on Clay Street. Officers seized a hard drive, cell phones, Ipods and thumb drives.

Wortley was then moved to the Flathead County jail. His bail is set at $100,000. He is set to appear in Flathead County District Court Thursday, July 29 for a hearing on whether a revocation will result in a prison sentence.

According to court documents, the case began nearly seven years ago when an agent with the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force posted an online ad that indicated a young female was available to engage in sexual conduct.

Wortley responded to the ad and communicated with Task Force agents by email. He said he was a 34-year-old man interested in making a 12-year-old girl lose her virginity. Wortley then received a photo depicting what appeared to be a girl about 12 years of age.

In an email, he described in graphic detail what he would do and also he said he would bring condoms when he met her.

On Aug. 19, 2014, Wortley texted an undercover agent and was given an address in Flathead County to meet the girl. When Wortley arrived at the residence, officers confronted him and he said he traveled to the residence to have sex with a 12-year-old girl.

Wortley pleaded guilty to one felony count of sexual abuse and received a 15-year suspended sentence on Sept. 24, 2015, by District Court Judge Robert Allison.

One condition of Wortley’s probation was that he was not allowed to access or possess material that depicted human nudity, child exploitation, sex acts, consensual or non-consensual, or sex acts involving force or violence.

Wortley also had to have permission to access the internet without permission from his probation officer. Another release condition included Wortley being prohibited from using a cell phone with photo, video or internet capabilities.

A report from his probation officer in Thompson Falls indicated Wortley allegedly admitted to viewing pornography on his home computer and having nude photos on his cell phone on two dates, July 9 and 12, 2021.

Wortley also was accused of having contact with a 2-year-old child without an approved chaperone on April 3, 2016.