Longview optometrist charged with soliciting minors online

LONGVIEW, Texas (KETK) – An optometrist’s arrest documents show he sent inappropriate photos to a minor across the country and was taken into custody at his Longview office.

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August Michael Wallace, 51, a licensed Longview optometrist according to the Texas Optometry Board, was charged with online solicitation of a minor and is currently behind bars in the Gregg County Jail.

According to Wallace’s arrest documents, Homeland Security spoke with Longview police on September 30 and turned over evidence relating to a Texas man who sent a 16-year-old photos of his genitals and a description of sexual acts he wanted to perform to the man . minor.

The teenage girl told police in April that a mutual friend introduced her to Wallace online in mid-2023 and that she thought he was a doctor from Texas. According to the documents, Wallace knew the girl’s address and sent her packages.

The affidavit stated that the minor became frightened when Wallace made statements that she had gone to her home in New Jersey and that she had provided police with screenshots of photos of his face and penis that he had sent her.

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Detectives traced Wallace’s address, phone number and email address from the package delivered to the teen’s home in November 2023.

As of June, the affidavit said detectives posed as the teen and continued to communicate with Wallace. Until detectives closed in September, more evidence was collected, including inappropriate photos and a video he sent to who he believed was the minor.

According to arrest documents, after investigators stopped communicating, Wallace sent another package to the minor’s home in New Jersey on Oct. 7 with his company’s return address.

According to documents, the warrant was executed at 8:15 a.m. on Oct. 10 at the eye care center where he practiced optometry.

Wallace was charged with online solicitation of a minor and is being held in the Gregg County Jail on $150,000 bond.

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