BURSTMembers from B.C. RCMP arrested a man in Ucluelet last weekend who has been indicted in Hawaii for the alleged sexual exploitation of a child.
The B.C. RCMP said in a press release that the Ucluelet RCMP received notification from Federal Policing – Pacific Region, in cooperation with the FBI, to be on the lookout for a sailing vessel associated with Donald Steven Lang, 62, who was wanted by the FBI for three counts of lewd conduct with a minor, and the sexual battery of a minor in Hawaii.
The B.C. RCMP said that through investigative techniques and intelligence sharing, the Vancouver Island District General Investigation Section, West Coast Marine, Ucluelet RCMP and the Island District Emergency Response Team located the vessel and arrested Lang without incident on Saturday, Aug. 22.
A separate press release from the U.S. Justice Department also credited the Nanaimo RCMP for assisting in the capture of Lang, who has dual Canadian and U.S. citizenship.
The B.C. RCMP are referring questions about the case, including the Nanaimo RCMP detachment’s role in Lang’s arrest, and the upcoming judicial process to the U.S. Department of Justice.
“The partnership between Canadian and U.S. authorities has been key to obtaining a provisional arrest warrant for Mr. Lang and bring him before justice” said Corp. Alex Bérubé, a spokesman for the B.C. RCMP.
According to court documents, Lang allegedly produced images of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
He allegedly produced the images between September, 2024, and December, 2024, aboard his 52-foot sailboat, the Ishi.
Lang is an amateur sailor who is known to sail around the world and frequently harboured in Hawaii.
“Protecting children from sexual predators is a priority of the highest order,” said assistant-attorney general A. Tysen Duva, from the U.S. Justice Department’s criminal division.
“We will continue to pursue this alleged offender and work with our law enforcement partners to return him to the United States to face trial for the crimes he is charged with committing.”
Lang was previously indicted on separate charges of child-sexual abuse in Idaho related to his involvement in the sexual assault of a minor between 2003 and 2007.
If convicted, Lang faces a minimum penalty of 15 years and a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.
He also faces a penalty of between five years of supervised release and lifetime supervised release, along with a fine of up to $250,000.
“The FBI remains committed to identifying, investigating, and bringing offenders to justice who prey on some of the most vulnerable members of our communities,” said FBI criminal-assistant director Heith Janke.
“Donald Lang has been accused by multiple victims of committing sexual abuse of a minor.”
Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact the FBI’s Honolulu Field Office at (808) 426-2534, or the FBI’s Toll-Free tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324).
As well, people with information can contact the nearest American embassy or consulate, or they can submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.