santabarbaracourthouse

Santa Barbara Courthouse

Another delay in the case of Joe Walker of Mammoth Lakes involving alleged sex crimes against a Santa Barbara teenager.

According to the Santa Barbara District Attorney’s Office, Walker’s hearing  on Friday was moved to March 9. Court officials expect to set a preliminary hearing date when they meet for that hearing in March.

Walker faces charges of illegally contacting a child with the intent to commit a sex crime on six different occasions.  He is also accused of committing a lewd act on a child.

According to Noozhawk.com, a Santa Barbara news outlet, the Santa Barbara DA’s office is expected to soon file an amended complaint that eliminates Dr. Andrew Bourne from this case and possibly adds more counts against Walker.  Santa Barbara DA Joyce Dudley told Sierra Wave she is waiting on Bourne’s death certificate.  When we spoke with her last week, DA Dudley said her office is “still considering” additional charges against Walker.

Reports in Santa Barbara and Mammoth Lakes have stated that Walker and Bourne owned part-time homes in Santa Barbara and were friends of the alleged victim’s family.

Santa Barbara Police had said at the time of the arrest of Walker and Bourne that the victim’s parents had found suspicious emails.  Police began an investigation in September of 2011 and made their arrests January 4th.

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