WyGant indicted on 6 federal counts
A federal grand jury on Feb. 12 indicted former South Lake Tahoe fire Capt. Mark WyGant on six counts regarding child pornography.
The 44-year-old faces charges of sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation of minors.
Mark WyGant
WyGant remains in custody in Sacramento where he has been since being arrested Jan. 29.
According to court documents, WyGant filmed a child on numerous occasions using a hidden cell telephone and hidden “spy cameras” that he had purchased for that purpose.
A thumb drive with 5,000 child pornography images and 50 videos of child porn was found in a locker at the fire station. It was turned over to the police, who figured out who they believed the owner was and then the FBI was brought in.
WyGant, who lived in Chico with his wife and stepchildren when not on duty in Tahoe, is scheduled to be arraigned Feb. 13 in federal court.
WyGant faces 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine per count if he is found guilty. Each count carries a minimum of 15 years in prison.
He resigned from the department Feb. 4.
— Lake Tahoe News staff report
It’s hard to find sympathy for this guy. Yet, as with drugs, I’ve seen some overly enthusiastic prosecutions in the sex crime area. Who knows what the heck pops up on our computer from time to time (acknowledging that with that statement I’ve just made myself a potential target for some typically over ambitious federal task force out there). In any case, this seems to be a case that has merit well beyond a simple law enforcement cruising of the internet.
But a South Lake Tahoe Fire Captain lives with his family in Chico during his off duty hours? Don’t they ever call these guys out, and when they do, don’t they expect something less than a six or so hour response?
Not surprisingly, I see a management issue here. While not necessarily the focus of this investigation, certainly the focus of the citizens who trust their Fire Department to be able to respond to an occasional “all hands on deck.”
Who would want to even try to find sympathy for WyGant? Sympathy resides with the children. If I read the initial reports correctly, he pretty much acknowledged his crimes. Besides, what pops up on a computer screen doesn’t magically end up on a thumb drive. Teachers and Fireman are my top heroes in professions so while sad that a firefighter could do something as horrible as this, he deserves the maximum sentence if found guilty.
FYI, fire fighters typically put in a week’s worth of work in two 24 hour days and often have five days off a week (when not fighting fires) so to live four hours away would not be that crazy.
Let’s see, 6 counts x 15 years minimum = 45 years minimum. This guy should be real close, if not six feet under by time he is to be released. Bubba no like child molesters.
That old reproductive urge not contained by societal dictums and common sense can lead to horrendous consequences for both sides of the equation.
Gez Justice–“beyond a simple law enforcement cruising of the Internet”..Do you have to verify our suspicions of what’s being done on computers by LE and in this case a firefighter? A friend reminded me- 99%++ of all the atrocities committed by humans have been committed by male humans. Move over and let the stronger gender protect our society. We wouldn’t have to worry that they don’t get “societal dictums”. Reproductive urge= horney -just too much for some men to contain in their lives, let alone their jobs. Hurry guys, gather ’round the computer screen, let’s have a peek……
“reproductive urge”=homo sapiens extant. including isee
If that means we should become extinct- I couldn’t agree more. Earth needs a favor.
how many of you folks know someone who was molested when they were a child?
and now you know them as an adult, and you see how messed up their lives are.
to copper: the MOU for Firefighters was updated late 2014 and the residency/response time requirement was taken out. Perhaps they can now draw salary/pension from other jurisdictions in addition to CSLT. Must be nice.
isee: that’s apparently the goal connected to the certainty underlying abrahamic religions
This guys absolutely is repulsive and disgusting. Public hangings should be brought back to set examples for freaks like this guy. The thought of a jerk like this around my daughter is maddening. The city should reinstate the residency response requirements and look closer at people in roles like this. Having a fire captain live 6 hours away is insane! What happened to local pride.? Why are we hiring and promoting jerks like this guy? Especially since he is not even close to living here. Ridiculous. This is ruining my perception of high paid over compensated gov workers.