MERCER COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A Mercer County man is facing felony charges after West Virginia State Police say he admitted to engaging in sexual acts with a family member over a period of several years.
According to a criminal complaint, the investigation began on Friday, July 10, 2026, when a man contacted the West Virginia State Police to report that his stepson had disclosed being sexually assaulted by a family member, identified as Tyler Carlson.
Troopers interviewed the alleged victim, who reported that Carlson sexually assaulted him on one occasion in 2016 and again in 2022. The complaint states that during the 2022 incident, the alleged victim was approximately 15 years old, while Carlson was 18.
According to investigators, the alleged victim also reported that from the time he was about 7 years old until approximately 15, Carlson repeatedly forced him to perform sexual acts involving manual stimulation. The victim told investigators the abuse occurred so many times that he could not recall the specific details of every incident.
State police later interviewed Carlson after advising him of his Miranda rights.
According to the complaint, Carlson admitted that he and his younger half-brother had engaged in sexual acts on approximately five occasions over several years. Investigators said Carlson stated the acts involved manual sexual contact and identified the most recent incident as occurring during the alleged victim’s first year of middle school.
Based on the investigation, the investigating trooper charged Carlson with one count of second-degree sexual assault and one count of incest, citing Carlson’s age at the time of the alleged 2022 offense.
The alleged incidents occurred in Mercer County.
The allegations contained in the criminal complaint are accusations only. Carlson is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
