A man from West Los Angeles has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for using social media apps like Snapchat to entice children into creating sexually explicit videos. Mark David Wallin, aged 44 and residing in the Del Rey neighborhood, received his sentence from United States District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong. A restitution hearing is set for August 13.
Judge Frimpong described Wallin's actions as "cruel and relentless" crimes against children, highlighting the "highly sexualized sadomasochistic conduct that no child should know of, let alone be exposed to."
Wallin has been held in federal custody since July 2022. He pleaded guilty in September 2024 to charges of producing child pornography and enticing a minor into criminal sexual activity.
Between 2019 and August 2021, Wallin used the internet to connect with pre-teen boys and girls both domestically and internationally. He formed online relationships intending to acquire sexually explicit images and videos from them. Wallin encouraged these minors to engage in explicit conduct via video chat, which he then screen-captured and saved.
In some instances, after receiving sexually explicit content from his victims, Wallin demanded more such material. He threatened to expose previously sent or created images if the victims did not comply with his demands.
For example, during February and March of 2020, he persuaded a victim aged around nine or ten at the time to produce explicit content using Snapchat.
Wallin admitted in his plea agreement that he caused at least four additional victims between ages 12 and 16 to create multiple files of child pornography. Additionally, he acknowledged possessing about 200 files containing child sexual abuse material by August 2021.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Scott M. Lara of the Domestic Security and Immigration Crimes Section and Catharine A. Richmond of the Violent and Organized Crime Section.