LAKE COUNTY – Robert Wayne Wiley, former Lake County Juvenile Court public defender, faces a maximum of three years in state prison for possession of child pornography in two separate 2007 incidents, according to prosecutor Ed Borg.
“There was a device located in the courtroom ? a thumb drive ? that was determined to belong to Wiley, and there was material on it that fell within the definition of child pornography,” Borg said.
Wiley pleaded guilty Jan. 9 to a felony count of possessing child pornography in a Feb. 27, 2007 incident. Borg said the second charge, relating to a Sept. 20, 2007 incident, was dropped in a plea bargain but can still be considered in sentencing. Wiley would also be required to register as a sex offender, according to Borg.
The case is under review for parole, a standard procedure, according to Borg. But because all of Lake County Superior Court”s judges and the Lake County Probation Department have recused themselves from the case, Mendocino County probation officers are reviewing the case.
“Wiley worked in the juvenile system so long, and that is primarily run by the probation department because they work closely with the juveniles that are wards,” Borg said.
Visiting judge Vincent Papadakis of Fresno County received the plea, and will sentence Wiley in a Feb. 27 hearing at 9 a.m. in a courtroom to be announced.
Borg said he contacted the California State Bar Association last week regarding Wiley”s plea.
“We”re obligated to report when an attorney is convicted of a crime. I made that report, but I haven”t heard back from the state bar yet. They have their own process, but not a criminal justice process, where they decide what disciplinary actions that can be taken. The ultimate is disbarment, but I don”t know what they are going to do here,” Borg said.
Wiley”s contracts with the county and state for juvenile public defense were both mutually terminated the day after his Sept. 20, 2007 arrest, according to the contract holders. Wiley posted $10,000 bail the day of his arrest and was released.
In a previous interview, Lake County Superior Court CEO Mary E. Smith said Wiley”s contract with the state to provide juvenile dependency services was canceled at his Lakeport office.
Wiley was also a juvenile delinquency attorney for Lake County”s public defender system, administered by Stephen Carter through Lake Legal Defense Services. That contract was also mutually terminated, according to a previous interview with Carter.
Wiley”s Lakeport defense attorney, David Markham, could not be contacted by press time Monday.
Contact Reporter Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com or call her directly at 263-5636 ext. 39.
