Mark McLeod Wygant, Child Pornography Transportation, California 2024

Mark McLeod Wygant, 46, of Chico, California, has admitted to transporting child pornography across state lines, a crime rooted in years of predatory surveillance. Wygant pleaded guilty today in federal court to one count of transportation of child pornography, marking a grim milestone in a case that exposed the calculated use of hidden technology to victimize a child.

According to court documents, from early 2011 to early 2012, Wygant used a hidden cellphone and multiple covert ‘spy cameras’—purchased explicitly for the purpose—to secretly film a minor on numerous occasions. The recordings were not random: they were planned, preserved, and ultimately moved by Wygant from Butte County to South Lake Tahoe, where federal agents intercepted the material during a coordinated investigation.

Wygant was arrested on January 29, 2015, and has remained in federal custody ever since. His guilty plea cuts short a trial but does nothing to soften the severity of his actions. Prosecutors say the evidence—videos and digital files—reveals a disturbing pattern of exploitation enabled by deception and technological manipulation.

The investigation was conducted jointly by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the South Lake Tahoe Police Department, agencies that have increasingly collaborated to target predators operating in Northern California’s remote areas. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew G. Morris is handling the prosecution, presenting a case built on digital forensics and physical evidence seized during the probe.

Wygant is scheduled for sentencing before U.S. District Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr. on March 3, 2017. He faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years, along with a $250,000 fine. While the statutory penalties are severe, the final sentence will hinge on federal guidelines and judicial discretion, including factors like victim impact and criminal history.

This case was prosecuted under Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative launched in May 2006 to combat the rising tide of child sexual exploitation. Through coordinated federal, state, and local efforts, the program aims to dismantle networks of abuse, bring offenders to justice, and rescue children from harm. More information is available at www.usdoj.gov/psc.

RELATED: Teddy Stuart Lopez Jr. Pleads Guilty to Heroin Distribution in Overdose Case