MS Coast worship leader and ex-Realtor set for guilty plea in UK-linked child porn case
A Mississippi Coast worship leader and former real estate agent is set to plead guilty in November following his indictment for producing and distributing child pornography.
Tyler Selby, a 34-year-old Saucier resident, was first arrested in September 2023 on a federal criminal complaint charging him with one count each of possession and production of child pornography.
A federal grand jury subsequently indicted him in October on one count each distribution of visual depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct by a parent and one count of production of child pornography.
Selby appeared in federal court in Gulfport on Wednesday for his arraignment for the crimes that could send him to prison for life.
His attorney informed the court of Selby’s intent to enter a guilty plea. His plea date is set in November before Judge Louis Guirola.
UK investigators alert US authorities
The former minister at Robinwood Baptist Church in Saucier’s arrest followed an investigation by Homeland Security Investigation’s Cyber Crime Center after the agency received a tip from the National Crime Agency in the United Kingdom about a Skype user, later identified as Selby, producing and sharing child pornography with someone in the UK.
Selby, identified as Skpye user “cj dereks,” allegedly shared child pornography he produced over the Internet with a person in the UK who “poses online (as a minor girl) to obtain child sexual abuse material,” the records say.
The UK user, identified by the “Emma Long” alias, poses as a 17-year-old girl to entice followers like Selby to sexually abuse children and send videos of the abuse for distribution over the Internet. To lure Selby in, the undercover user shared a video of what authorities described as Emma’s 5-year-old sister engaged in sexually explicit acts.
During the investigation in the UK, federal investigators discovered online video footage of Selby masturbating in a bathtub with a small naked boy in the bathtub with him. In the 20-minute video, Selby instructs the boy to wash Selby’s genitals with a rag.
Selby, who also worked as a Realtor in Jackson County, allegedly committed the crime in a home for sale in Jackson County.
HSI investigator testifies
After Selby’s arrest, HSI special agent Danyelle Evans said federal agents identified Selby as the suspect after tracking down images of him from his driver’s license and social media accounts.
A subsequent database search led authorities to a home in South Mississippi, where Selby lived with family and worked as a worship leader at a Baptist church in Saucier.
Authorities said that in addition to his job as a worship leader, Selby worked for a pest control company and had also worked in real estate sales.
Authorities conducted surveillance on Selby’s home and arrested him after he retrieved a portable electronic device, or USB drive, attached to a lanyard from a car.
According to the investigator, it is common for child pornography suspects to store the images and videos on USB drives and other electronic devices so they can carry them around with them.
Selby has remained jailed since his arrest.
After his arrest, the pastor at Robinwood Baptist Church announced that Selby had been fired from his job there.
“We are deeply saddened by the recent developments regarding Mr. Selby,” the Rev. Brad Smith said. “He was untruthful to us during the interview process and should never have applied for the position. Although an extensive background check was conducted it did not and would not have revealed what Mr. Selby intentionally kept hidden. We have zero tolerance for any inappropriate behavior, especially by those in positions of authority. We will never protect someone who seeks to hurt or take advantage of children.
