Waltham resident caught in FBI pedophile sting

Mark Nacht, 65, of Waltham, was arrested on April 10 as part of an FBI operation to apprehend pedophiles.

Nacht communicated with an undercover FBI agent posing as a person from Albany who was going to facilitate a situation for Nacht to sexually abuse a 13-year-old girl. Nacht also communicated with another undercover agent who he believed to be the 13-year-old girl in question.

Nacht traveled from Massachusetts to Albany on April 10 with the intent of visiting the 13-year-old and engaging in illegal sexual activities. When he reached his intended location, he was arrested by law enforcement on a charge of attempted enticement of a minor. This charge would require Nacht to register as a sex offender and holds the potential for life in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years.

Nacht served as the assistant director of special education for Newton Public Schools from 2017 to 2023 and was a substitute teacher at the district in 2024. Newton School Superintendent Anna Nolin sent out a message to parents stating that Nacht hadn’t had access to any buildings, grounds or digital material within the school system since Dec. 2024.

Nacht is currently in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service and will face a detention hearing in federal court on April 21.