Saskatchewan man pleads guilty to possession of child pornography, faces up to 20 years in prison

A Canadian man has entered a guilty plea on charges of possessing child pornography following interactions with an undercover law enforcement officer earlier this year. Matthew Norman Ballek, 32, from Saskatchewan, Canada, communicated with what he believed was another pedophile, which ultimately led to his arrest and the uncovering of sexual abuse material involving children.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, Ballek was arrested after he sent three video files to an undercover officer showing the sexual assault of toddlers and prepubescent boys. His phone was seized and found to contain further illegal content. Ballek has been in custody since his arrest on February 7 and now faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, along with mandatory victim restitution of at least $3,000.

U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, along with FBI and MPD officials, emphasized the seriousness of the crime and the coordinated efforts to counter such criminal activity. Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative, focuses on using federal, state, and local resources to combat child exploitation. Ballek’s sentencing is set for March 21, 2025, by U.S. District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton.

Other consequences of Ballek’s guilty plea include mandatory registration as a sex offender and possible deportation after any prison sentence he serves. The task force responsible for the investigation includes members of the FBI, federal agents and local investigators from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia, a team dedicated to prosecuting those involved in child exploitation and human trafficking.