Man pleads no contest in child porn case
A Washington man pleaded no contest Wednesday to 20 charges of possessing child pornography.
John D. Wheatley, 50, was charged in January 2015 after investigators with the state attorney general’s office downloaded images from a file on his computer that was publicly available for download. Agents found more than 1,500 images of pornography on his computer.
Wheatley pleaded no contest to 20 counts of possessing child pornography, one charge of criminal use of a communication facility and one count of disseminating child pornography.
Wheatley entered the no-contest pleas on what would have been the second day of testimony in his trial before a Washington County jury of 11 women and one man.
“He continued to want to defend the case, but had seen the evidence against him and decided to plead no contest,” said attorney Chris Blackwell, who represents Wheatley.
Agents said at the time of Wheatley’s arrest he had told them he wanted help for his addiction to pornography but was too embarrassed to seek it.
Deputy Attorney General Jessel Costa said Wheatley’s arrest was the only one made in the case.
“There is no indication that anyone else was involved,” Costa said.
Judge Gary Gilman ordered a presentence investigation by the adult probation office. Wheatley is free on bond while he awaits a sentencing hearing July 22.