TULSA, Okla. – An FBI agent in Oklahoma has been charged after law enforcement authorities say he secretly recorded women performing sexual acts and then shared the photos and video with others, according to multiple reports.
Court records revealed that 45-year-old Mark Allen Wells, of Tulsa, was initially facing several charges, including peeping tom with photographic/electronic equipment and non-consensual dissemination of private sexual images, FOX 23 reported in December.
The investigation was launched by the Tulsa Police Department in May 2023 when three victims reported cases of “Revenge Porn.” Investigators located a total of seven people to whom Wells sent photos and/or videos of other women who were naked and/or engaging in sexual acts, according to a police affidavit.
“A forensic examination of the defendant’s laptop recovered Photo Vault data,” the affidavit states.
During the forensic exam, police recovered 55 private albums from Photo Vault, which contained 2,245 photographs and videos. Most of the albums were categorized using a person’s first name.
In a statement issued last May, the FBI wrote that Wells’ “alleged conduct will not be tolerated.”
“As soon as the allegation became known, the employee was removed from special agent duties and has been denied access to FBI facilities pending resolution of the matter,” the agency wrote. “We strongly condemn any behavior that falls short of the highest standards. We are cooperating with local law enforcement and all relevant entities who are investigating the matter.”
Prosecutors believe the former FBI agent could have recorded upwards of 80 women in sex acts without their knowledge, FOX News reported on Thursday.
Wells was arrested in December and later released on a $5,500 bond. He made a court appearance on Wednesday and waived his right to a preliminary hearing, Oklahoma 2 News reported.
Wells initially faced three criminal charges. However, in light of building evidence, he was handed two felony Peeping Tom charges and 11 misdemeanors for nonconsensual dissemination of private sexual images at his Wednesday court appearance, according to the local news outlet.
During the investigation, Tulsa Police also spoke to Wells’ ex-wife, who told them she “found a hidden camera on a bookshelf in their guest bedroom,” and that he would record her without her knowledge or permission, reported FOX 23.
A former fiancee, Savanna Smith, said she was completely blindsided by the disturbing discovery. She told Oklahoma 2 News that she planned to marry Wells and that “he was going to be the father figure in [her] kid’s life.”
“At the time I was totally oblivious and it was a whirlwind since then finding out who he was as a person,” Smith told the outlet. “An alias Facebook reached out to me and kind of let me in on who he really was. Of course, I did not want to believe it.”
One of the three women who initially reported Wells’ alleged sex crimes, Morgan Ballou, previously dated the ex-FBI agent for several years, FOX 23 reported.
Furthermore, she has also filed a $150,000 lawsuit against Wells for damages incurred during encounters with the man, according to Oklahoma Northern District Court records.
Wells is next scheduled to appear in court on April 1.