Former Longview Optometrist Sentenced to 40 Years for Child Pornography

August Wallace pleaded guilty to charges of child pornography and online solicitation of a minor.

Apr. 7, 2026 at 9:19am

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An extreme close-up photograph of a cracked smartphone screen reflecting a faint red light, conceptually illustrating the disturbing digital evidence uncovered in this case.The harsh, unforgiving flash of a camera captures the digital evidence at the heart of a disturbing child exploitation case.Longview Today

A former optometrist in Longview, Texas was sentenced to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography and online solicitation of a minor. The 51-year-old man, August Wallace, was arrested in October 2025 after he sent explicit images of himself to a 16-year-old girl and threatened to harm himself if she didn't send photos in return.

Why it matters

This case highlights the ongoing efforts by law enforcement to crack down on the exploitation of minors online and the serious consequences faced by those who engage in such criminal behavior, even those in positions of trust within the community.

The details

After the victim's family contacted authorities about Wallace's threats and evidence of him sending a screenshot of her home, an investigation uncovered numerous files of explicit images of children on his phone. Wallace was charged with possession of child pornography in addition to online solicitation of a minor.

  • On October 10, 2025, Wallace was taken into custody.
  • Last Thursday, Wallace was sentenced in the 124th District Court.

The players

August Wallace

A 51-year-old former optometrist in Longview, Texas who pleaded guilty to charges of child pornography and online solicitation of a minor.

John W. Moore

The criminal district attorney for Gregg County, Texas who prosecuted the case against Wallace.

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What they’re saying

“We cannot thank law enforcement enough for taking action and doing everything possible to try and eliminate this type of behavior from happening in our community.”

— John W. Moore, Criminal District Attorney, Gregg County

The takeaway

This case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance and cooperation between law enforcement, families, and the community to identify and stop the exploitation of minors, even by those in positions of trust.