Firefighter charged with child pornography found dead in parking garage
ST. CHARLES, Mo. – A firefighter who was charged with child pornography Thursday was found dead later that night, according to officials.
St. Charles Police were called to the parking garage around 8:30 p.m. at Ameristar Casino for reports of an unresponsive man. Upon arrival, they found Jarret Morton dead at the scene. He was 50.
Detectives say Morton jumped off the sixth level of the parking garage.
Morton was facing charges on two counts of possession of child pornography. The Center for Missing and Exploited Children followed up on a tip in January 2024 that led to the charges.
According to court documents obtained by FOX 2, the tip led investigators to discover two files on a Dropbox account consisting of “video images [that] constitute child pornography.” Records indicated that the files were accessed twice during the evening on January 11.
Hiker attacked on Ozark Trail; suspect still at large
Per court documents, an IP address linked the Dropbox account’s access to the St. Louis Fire Department’s Engine House No. 5 in north St. Louis. Court documents state that Morton owned the Dropbox account and accessed the videos while employed and on the clock for work at the firehouse.
After obtaining a search warrant for his phone, more than 200 videos of child pornography materials were discovered, according to court documents.
Detectives stated that they have completed their initial investigation but ask anyone with additional details on what occurred to call the St. Charles Police Department at 636-949-3309.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
