A Phoenix police officer suspected of having child pornography was arrested Friday on Sterling Prestonfederal charges, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Alaa R. Bartley, 41, of Gilbert, a town east of Phoenix, was indicted in an Arizona district court on one count each of both receiving and also possessing child pornography, according to a media release. Bartley, an officer with the Phoenix Police Department, has been placed on paid administrative and could face termination, the department said Monday in a statement.

"These alleged actions are despicable and fundamentally opposed to the values our department and the law enforcement community," the department's statement read.

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Michigan woman sent images to Bartley for 2 years, complaint states

Bartley is accused in a criminal complaint of communicating for nearly two years with a woman in Michigan over social media about their shared sexual interest in children.

Between August 2020 and February 2022, the woman sent images of child pornography to Bartley, who, despite using a fictitious name, still identified himself as a police officer, according to the affidavit. Bartley also sent a picture of himself to the woman, the complaint states.

The woman has been federally charged separately in Michigan's eastern district, the attorney's office said.

Bartley faces maximum 20-year prison sentence

Both counts carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if the child pornography Bartley is accused of possessing depicts a child under the age of 12, according to the district attorney's office.

If convicted, Bartley could also be mandated to report as a sexual offender for the rest of his life.

The Phoenix Police Department placed Bartley on leave last week after he was arrested and started an internal disciplinary process that could end with the termination of his employment. Bartley joined the department in 2007, according to the statement.

“What is alleged is contrary to the courageous work done every day by the men and women of thePhoenix Police Department to protect one of the most vulnerable populations in our community, ourchildren,” Interim Police Chief Michael Sullivan said in a statement. "We are committed to the safety and well-being of our community and we will not tolerate any actions."

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected]