Buc-ee’s Co-Founder’s Son Fights Felony Case as New Court Hearing Nears
By Investigative Reporter Tammy Rose
The criminal case against the son of a Buc-ee’s co-founder is heading back to court.
Mitchell Wasek now wants a judge to suppress evidence in his felony child pornography case. His defense also wants the indictment dismissed.
Court records reviewed by Investigative Reporter Tammy Rose show a pretrial hearing set for August 18, 2026, at 1:15 p.m. in Travis County’s 167th District Court.
The latest filings reveal a significant new legal fight.
Mitchell Wasek Case Update: Defense Challenges Evidence
Wasek faces a felony charge of possession of child pornography in Travis County.
The current court docket lists the offense as a second-degree felony.
His attorney filed a motion to suppress on April 14, 2026.
The docket describes the filing as a:
“Motion to suppress evidence obtained by theft and breach of computer security.”
The wording raises a major question.
What evidence does the defense want thrown out, and how was it obtained?
The court docket does not answer that question by itself.
The actual motion could provide those details.
Defense Also Wants Indictment Dismissed
Another filing could have an even bigger impact on the case.
On June 2, 2026, Wasek’s defense filed a motion asking the court to dismiss the indictment.
The stated reason:
An expired statute of limitations.
The judge has not dismissed the case based on the docket reviewed for this report.
The State also requested several subpoenas that same day.
One went to Detective Keith McManus.
Court records show that subpoena was executed on June 5.
Pretrial Hearing Set for August 18
The next scheduled hearing could determine what happens with those defense challenges.
The Travis County Odyssey Portal lists a:
Pretrial Hearing
August 18, 2026
1:15 p.m.
167th District Court
The hearing could bring new arguments over the evidence and the defense request to dismiss the indictment.
It could also provide the clearest update yet on where the case stands.
Wasek Also Faces 21 Invasive Recording Counts
The child pornography case came after an earlier investigation involving allegations of secret recordings.
The Travis County District Attorney’s Office announced in May 2024 that a grand jury returned six indictments against Wasek.
Those indictments contained 21 counts of invasive visual recording involving 13 alleged victims.
Prosecutors said the alleged recordings occurred over roughly two years in Travis County.
Those cases also remain listed in Travis County court records.
Wasek has not been convicted of the allegations discussed in this report. He remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Why the Buc-ee’s Name Draws Attention
Mitchell Wasek is the son of Buc-ee’s co-founder Don Wasek.
That connection has pushed the criminal case into headlines across Texas.
It also creates an unusual overlap with another story I have covered extensively.
Not because the criminal cases have anything to do with each other.
They do not.
The connection is the Buc-ee’s name.
Related Coverage: Buc-ee’s Founder Arch “Beaver” Aplin and the Rebecca Beard Investigation
My ongoing investigation into the 1986 disappearance and murder of Rebecca “Becky” Beard has also involved a Buc-ee’s founder.
Arch “Beaver” Aplin III knew Becky before she disappeared.
Historical police records reviewed during my investigation document detectives interviewing Aplin after Becky vanished.
I later traveled to Arizona and questioned Aplin directly during the opening of a Buc-ee’s location there.
Aplin briefly addressed Becky’s case and expressed sympathy for her family.
My reporting has also examined conflicting information in historical records about when Aplin last saw Becky and who investigators reported seeing at the Excalibur Club around the time of her disappearance.
Again, there is no known connection between Mitchell Wasek’s criminal case and Rebecca Beard’s murder case.
The common thread is that both stories involve members of the families behind one of Texas’ most recognizable brands.
Related Rebecca Beard Coverage
Exclusive: Arch Aplin Responds to Rebecca Beard Question
I traveled to Arizona to ask Buc-ee’s founder Arch “Beaver” Aplin about Rebecca Beard and references to him in historical investigative records.
Rebecca Beard Part 2: Early Police Reports Show How the Investigation Evolved
The records document early witness interviews and conflicting accounts surrounding Becky’s final hours.
Rebecca Beard Part 3: How Witness Statements Changed During the Investigation
The investigation examines how witness accounts and the case timeline evolved over time.
What Happens Next?
The August 18 pretrial hearing could become an important turning point.
The defense wants evidence suppressed.
It also wants the indictment dismissed.
Prosecutors are preparing witnesses.
Now a judge will have to address the legal fight playing out behind the allegations.
I will continue reviewing the court records and follow what happens next.
All charges are allegations. Mitchell Wasek is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
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