Former Outlook resident pleads guilty to child pornography charges in US – SwiftCurrentOnline.com

Matthew Norman Ballek, 32, of Outlook, Saskatchewan, pleaded guilty to a federal child pornography charge in the United States.

A former Outlook resident who worked as a financial risk specialist at the World Bank in Washington, D.C., was arrested in February 2024 after distributing child pornography to an undercover law enforcement agent. Ballek’s settlement announcement highlighted his connection to Outlook in Saskatchewan. Although Ballek lived in Washington for two years, his social media profiles revealed he was from the city of Saskatchewan. His LinkedIn profile also showed previous employment at the Bank of Canada, demonstrating a connection to his Canadian roots.

The investigation, led by the FBI-MPD Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, began with an undercover agent monitoring an online dating application used by people sexually interested in children. Ballek contacted the undercover agent and expressed an interest in child pornography, ultimately uploading three videos depicting child sexual abuse.

Ballek’s arrest led to the seizure of his phone, which contained numerous photos and videos of child pornography. The plea agreement resulted in a guilty plea to one count of possession of child pornography. Ballek now faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, as well as mandatory restitution to the victims.

Additionally, if sentenced to prison, Ballek must pay mandatory restitution of at least $3,000 to each identified victim. Statutory sentences for federal crimes are established by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, the Department of Justice cautioned in its media release, emphasizing that any sentence will be imposed by the Court based on advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

Additionally, Ballek will be required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to deportation proceedings and other adverse immigration consequences after completing his prison sentence.

The Justice Department says its case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Profanity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute those who exploit children online and identify and save the victims.

The news of Ballek’s conviction highlighted the seriousness of the distribution of child pornography on the Internet and the global scope of law enforcement efforts to combat this crime. It also highlights the importance of recognizing the devastating impact of this crime on victims and the ongoing need to raise awareness of the risks and dangers of child exploitation online.