Sarasota man arrested in Mexico on child pornography charges from 2016

The pursuit of a Sarasota man since 2017 on charges of child pornography has ended in Mexico with the arrest of John Pyle, 65, over the weekend. The ultramarathon runner and formerly celebrated local figure had been on the run since failing to appear for court in November 2017.

He was arrested by the Sarasota Police Department in 2016, posted a $90,000 bond and disappeared.

On Saturday, Pyle was booked into the Miami Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Center in Miami. The U.S. Marshals Florida/Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force Tampa Field Office developed information that Pyle was in Merida, Mexico, just outside Cancun. Agents coordinated with the U.S. Marshals Mexican Foreign Field Office and Mexican Immigration authorities and learned Pyle had no legal status to stay in Mexico. 

Pyle was arrested and deported by Mexican officials, then transported to Miami. 

In June 2016, a search warrant was executed at Pyle’s apartment at 3360 S. Osprey Ave. after Sarasota police detectives received cyber tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Those tips included uploaded images of child pornography. 

Detectives worked with the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office to conduct an initial forensic preview any computer or cell phone found on the property. The initial search revealed two bondage images of child pornography, 15 images of sexual conduct and 31 child pornography images with no sexual conduct. 

Pyle was charged with 15 counts of possession of child pornography in 2016 with additional charges pending.

The Sarasota Police Department was not involved in the apprehension or arrest of Pyle. He is awaiting extradition to Sarasota to face the charges from 2016.  

In 2012, Pyle completed a 3,000-mile run from San Francisco to Key West. Called Patriot Run Across America, the effort benefited the Wounded Warrior Project.