ESD K9 Heroes Help Bring Justice in Iowa Child Exploitation Case
For over 20 years, a man named Carl Markley used fraud and coercion to get dozens of teens, mostly boys, to engage in sex acts. As a nurse practitioner and business owner in Ames, Iowa, Markley used his position of trust to exploit vulnerable minors, producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) by telling the teens that the sexual contact he requested was necessary for research he was conducting for sexual health companies and various institutions.
The investigation into Markley began in 2022, when local authorities received complaints that he was conducting medical examinations of minors without parental consent. The Ames Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Iowa Department of Public Safety’s Division of Criminal Investigation executed nearly thirty-five search warrants and interviewed hundreds of victims and witnesses to complete the case.
Two Our Rescue-sponsored Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) K9s, Welles, from the Iowa Department of Public Safety, and Sandy, from the Ankeny Police Department, were deployed on this case to help police locate devices where Markley was hiding the proof of abuse.
These highly trained dogs have a unique ability—they are trained to detect the chemical compounds used in electronic storage devices, such as USB drives, external hard drives, and microSD cards, which are often hidden by offenders to conceal incriminating evidence. During the execution of the search warrants, Welles and Sandy located multiple devices that had been deliberately concealed throughout Markley’s property.
Authorities were able to seize and search seven cellphones and ten computers that revealed CSAM depicting children under the age of twelve and more.
The contents of those devices—images, videos, and communications—became the critical evidence that allowed federal prosecutors to build a solid case. As a result, Markley was charged with 17 federal crimes—including 15 counts of sex trafficking by fraud and coercion, one count of sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation of a child, and one count of possession of child pornography. A year later, in November 2024, he pleaded guilty to the 15 sex trafficking counts. In March 2025, he received the maximum sentence of life in prison.
The impact of this K9-assisted investigation cannot be overstated. In cases of child exploitation, offenders often go to extreme lengths to hide their digital footprints. Without the critical work of ESD K9s like Welles and Sandy, vital evidence can be missed, allowing dangerous individuals to continue their abuse undetected. These dogs don’t just find devices—they find keys to justice.
Markley’s conviction and life sentence are a testament to the power of combining law enforcement expertise with cutting-edge resources like ESD K9s. Thanks to their involvement, Markley will never have the chance to harm another child.
At Our Rescue, we’re honored to support law enforcement with ESD K9s both domestically and abroad. We commend the incredible work of the Ames Police Department, FBI, and the Iowa Department of Public Safety’s Division of Criminal Investigation on their work to put this child predator behind bars.
You can fund essential ESD K9s like these! Help us fight child exploitation today.