On September 20, 32-year-old Joshua Anthony Wallin was sentenced to over 37 years in federal prison for kidnapping his estranged wife and child in Oklahoma in 2021 and causing an armed standoff at a Corpus Christi restaurant. Wallin was convicted of kidnapping and showing a firearm in June 2023.
In addition to his prison term, Wallin is required to pay victim restitution, as mandated by U.S. District Judge David S. Morales. The crime occurred on June 23, 2021, when Wallin held his estranged wife at gunpoint in her Crescent, Oklahoma home, according to a statement from U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. He then forced her and their one-year-old son into a car and drove through Texas.
The next day, on June 24, the car carrying Wallin and his victims was located in the Coastal Bend area. Wallin subsequently dialed 911 and spoke with dispatchers in San Patricio County.
“At the time, San Patricio County Sheriff Oscar Rivera said the driver, later identified as Wallin, called 911 to warn that he had a gun and a bomb, telling dispatchers he wanted to ‘see the ocean.'”
Corpus Christi police joined the pursuit around 5:31 p.m. that same day.
After arriving in Corpus Christi, Wallin’s vehicle was stopped by tire spikes on the 4200 block of Baldwin. He then took their child as a hostage into a nearby Jalisco’s restaurant, holding a gun to the child’s head. The woman managed to escape. The area was secured by police, who called in SWAT and a Hostage Negotiation Team for assistance. According to the Interim Police Chief at the time, David Blackmon, Wallin ultimately shot himself following a three-hour standoff.
Police reported that SWAT team members entered the restaurant to rescue the child and provide emergency medical aid to Wallin. He later recovered from his injuries and faced trial. At the trial, the victim testified about her fear and revealed she had been sexually assaulted before leaving Oklahoma, as well as during the journey.
According to federal officials, evidence presented in court showed that Wallin had conducted online searches on his phone a day prior to the kidnapping. These searches were aimed at finding the location of his estranged wife and understanding how people typically respond when abducted.
The defense tried to argue that Wallin and the victim were merely on a vacation that took a disastrous turn. However, the jury rejected this explanation and convicted Wallin on charges of kidnapping and brandishing a firearm.