Third time in court Wheeler assigned attorney
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The defendant, Tara Wheeler, 22, entered a not guilty plea Wednesday to five counts of statutory rape and five counts of sexual battery by an authority figure. She was issued a March 15 trial date.
Prior to her trial date, she will have a plea or assignment date Oct. 26 on which she must enter a plea or go ahead with trial. She faces three to six years on the authority figure counts and one to two years on the statutory rape counts.
The former Generations house staff member is accused of having sex with three 17-year-old boys at the Department of Children’s Services residence which housed boys with behavioral and learning problems. She was reportedly the sole caretaker at the residence the nights of the alleged sexual contact. The house has since stopped keeping juveniles and Wheeler was terminated from employment there.
While indicted on the charges earlier this year, Wheeler had two dry runs for arraignment as she showed up twice without a lawyer. Circuit Court Judge Bart Stanley warned Wheeler during her last arraignment that showing up without an attorney a third time might cause a revocation of bond.
In her most recent appearance, Wheeler did show up without an attorney again but this time she came armed with an application for court-appointed counsel saying she could not afford a lawyer. Her petition was upheld and the public defender’s office of Dan Bryant was appointed to represent her. However, the court has ordered Wheeler to pay $1,000, at a rate of $100 per month, for the representation seeing she is not totally indigent.