A registered sex offender whose last known address was in Aurora was indicted in Washington County this week on 19 counts of felony charges related to the sexual abuse of underage males and luring minors online.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office began its investigation into Adam Michael Wallace, 39, after receiving information from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office about possible victims in the Washington County area. Wallace was arrested by Marion County earlier this year on nine counts of sodomy, luring a minor and sex abuse and he remains in custody at the Marion County Correctional Facility.
Wallace is also facing similar charges in Linn County and Cowlitz County, Wash., and has a lengthy criminal record, including multiple counts of stalking and identity theft.
According to police, Wallace was known to use social media apps such as Instagram, SnapChat, Grindr and Hornet, as well as text messaging, to make contact with and groom his victims. Wallace would also pose as a young person to make contact with juvenile males. He would then meet them in person and promise to buy the boys gifts, such as clothing, before sexually abusing them, police allege.
Due to the number of victims, the widespread locations of his victims, and the amount of photos retrieved from the suspect’s phone, detectives believe there may be many more underage males who have yet to come forward. The abuse is believed to have happened between 2015 and March 14, which is when Wallace was arrested by Marion County deputies.
Anyone with information about Adam Wallace, who sometimes goes by his middle name of Michael, is asked to contact the Washington County Sheriff’s Office at 503-846-2700 or Detective Emanie Bravo with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office at 503-566-6910.
The police are asking parents to keep a close eye on their children’s social media accounts and cell phones as sexual predators use these as ways to contact their victims.
