By Owen Woods | owen@alamosacitizen.com
FORMER 12th Judicial District Attorney Robert Willett appeared in Alamosa County Court on Tuesday morning for a hearing on advisement.
Willett is being charged with one count of felony embezzlement. District Attorney Alonzo Payne alleged in the initial court filing that Willett “knowingly converted, on December 16, 2020, the public monies or property to his own use or to a use other than the public use authorized by law.”
Willett’s counsel, Joseph Maher, waived the formal reading of the advisement.
District Chief Judge Michael Gonzales said that typically these matters are handled in county court and work their way into district court. Judge Gonzales assigned the case to himself he said to “avoid, essentially, the middle man,” and that he’ll be handling the case throughout.
District Attorney Payne is requesting a special prosecutor which, according to Maher, complicates the process as a special prosecutor will have to be brought up to speed. However, Maher did not object and agreed that it was the best route for the case to take.
Judge Gonzales said that given the nature of the case he would like to see things move along and that it is in Willett’s best interest to “get this matter resolved sooner than later.”
Willett was ordered to have his fingerprints taken by court security and court was adjourned after just five minutes.
A disposition date is set for May 11 at 10 a.m.