Son of Buc-ee’s Co-Founder Faces New Child Pornography Charges
Mitchell Wasek, the son of Don Wasek, a co-founder of the popular gas station chain Buc-ee’s, is facing fresh legal trouble with the filing of third-degree felony charges for possession of child pornography. The charges were filed on February 28th in Travis County, Texas, stemming from an incident that allegedly occurred on September 26, 2023, according to online court records.
Wasek reportedly turned himself in to authorities on the same day the charges were filed, completing a walkthrough at 7:11 p.m. He was promptly released after posting a cash bond just 19 minutes later, at 7:30 p.m., as confirmed by a spokesperson for the Travis County Sheriff’s Office.
In Texas, a third-degree felony carries a potential sentence of 2 to 10 years in prison, coupled with a possible fine of up to $10,000, according to Texas state law.
Attempts to reach a lawyer who previously represented Wasek for comment on the new charges were unsuccessful.
Buc-ee’s, the iconic gas station chain founded by Wasek’s father, is renowned for its massive locations offering a wide array of products, including sandwiches, brisket, Beaver Nuggets, fudge, beef jerky, and a variety of other items. The chain operates locations across multiple states, including Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, and its home state of Texas.
These new charges come on the heels of previous legal woes for Wasek, who was indicted on 21 felony counts of invasive visual recording by a Travis County grand jury on May 17, 2024. The Travis County District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case.
The indictments stemmed from allegations that Wasek secretly recorded 13 victims over a period of approximately two years within Travis County.
Travis County District Attorney José Garza emphasized the gravity with which his office approached the case, stating, "The Travis County District Attorney’s Office takes the work of presenting all facts and evidence to a grand jury very seriously. In this case, a group of independent Travis County community members heard the evidence and law and decided that Mr. Wasek’s conduct was unlawful."
An arrest affidavit detailed the alleged actions, indicating that Wasek installed hidden cameras in multiple homes owned by his family. He is accused of filming individuals in bathrooms while they were using the toilet, showering, changing clothes, or engaging in sexual activity.
The initial discovery of the hidden cameras was reportedly made by a woman who was visiting a Wasek family lake house with friends. One of the friends, who works in cybersecurity for the Department of Defense, noticed a charging port in a bathroom that concealed a hidden camera.
The group removed the camera and discovered a memory card containing numerous videos of themselves and other people in bathrooms and bedrooms. According to television station KXAN-TV, the victims were unaware of the recordings and had not consented to being filmed or photographed.
A police report was filed with the Dallas Police Department, and the camera and memory card were handed over to authorities. Additionally, a member of the group contacted the Travis County Sheriff’s Office.
After obtaining a warrant, law enforcement officials discovered 68 movie files containing recordings of at least 13 individuals, both male and female, dating back to at least 2021. The recordings were reportedly taken at various locations, including a house on Lake Travis, an Austin apartment, a Dallas apartment, and a vacation home in Telluride, Colorado, owned by Wasek’s parents.
Further investigation of Amazon records revealed that Wasek had purchased "spy cameras," according to KXAN-TV.
Citing court records, KXAN-TV reported that images of individuals who appeared to be prepubescent were found on Wasek’s memory card. Detectives from the Travis County Sheriff’s Office sent these images to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and compared them to known victims in the center’s database. The comparison led to the identification of a girl aged 6 to 8 years old.
According to the television station, the girl had previously been recorded when she was 7 years old. The images were subsequently distributed online, resulting in the conviction of a suspect for multiple counts of production and distribution of child pornography, as well as possession of the content.
USA TODAY has contacted the criminal division of the Travis County District Clerk’s Office for additional information.
David Gonzalez, Wasek’s attorney in the invasive recording case, has previously stated that his client’s case involves the legal right to install cameras in one’s own home. The defense attorney framed the cases as involving "many thorny legal issues" and posing the question: "May a homeowner install a camera in his home without telling housekeepers or guests, or does the guest have a greater legal right than the homeowner?" This argument is likely to face considerable scrutiny given the nature of the recordings and the privacy concerns of the victims involved. The addition of the child pornography charges significantly complicates Wasek’s legal situation and adds another layer of severity to the allegations against him.
The legal proceedings are ongoing, and further developments are anticipated as the cases move through the court system.
The public awaits further information from law enforcement and the court on the details surrounding the new charges.
