A 44-year-old Los Angeles man has been sentenced to 40-years in a U.S. Federal Prison after a Saanich family came forward to police.
On April 26, 2020, parents of a 12-year-old Saanich girl reported to the Saanich Police Department that they had discovered sexually explicit messages on the girl’s phone and computer sent to and received from an unknown individual. Officers from our Family Protection Unit, now Special Investigations Section, immediately began a child luring investigation.
Over the course of the investigation, evidence led detectives to believe that the suspect in this case was located in the United States. Our officers engaged with American law enforcement agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and over time it was determined that the best course of action was to transfer the case to U.S. authorities.
While the next steps of the investigation were conducted by officers from Homeland Security Investigations, Saanich officers stayed in regular contact with the Saanich family to offer support and update them on the case.
In July of 2022, Mark David Wallin, of Los Angeles California was arrested. Investigators had determined that from 2019 to August 2021 Wallin had been preying on pre-teen girls and boys internationally and domestically in the U.S. and was grooming them to provide him with explicit photos and videos. Dozens of victims were identified; their ages ranged from 9 to 16-years-old.
Wallin has been in custody since July 2022. He plead guilty in September 2024 to the production of child pornography and the enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity. He was sentenced to 40-years in federal prison on May 16, 2025. Wallin has a restitution hearing scheduled for August 13, 2025.
–
“I’m incredibly proud of the officers involved in this case. To play such a critical role in the apprehension and conviction of a prolific child predator in another country is a testament to their commitment, tenacity, and high-quality investigative work,” said Chief Constable Dean Duthie. “It is also very important to recognize the professional, compassionate, and trauma-informed approach that they maintained throughout this highly sensitive and emotional investigation. The authentic care and support provided by the officers to the survivor and her family made a significant and meaningful difference to the level of comfort, confidence, and trust they had in the process; something which was vital throughout the investigation, court proceedings, and beyond.”
–
“The online sexual exploitation of children has no borders and HSI will leverage all our resources to ensure children can live their lives free of sexual predators,” said HSI Los Angeles acting Special Agent in Charge John Pasciucco. “Without the excellent collaboration with partners like the Saanich Police Department, we cannot accomplish our mission of safeguarding kids and bringing those who prey on them to justice.”
–
For additional information please see the press release by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California.
–
A message to parents from Saanich’s lead investigator on this file:
“It’s important to guide your children as they begin to venture out onto the internet. Be aware of what social media platforms they are on and who they are interacting with. Create an open dialog with them where they feel supported and can come to you if they see or experience anything that feels unsafe or uncomfortable. Talk about it regularly, stay informed about apps and create good social media awareness. Staying safe online is a family effort.” Detective Constable John Gadsby