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Former editor pleads no contest

Brian Bothun, a former editor for the Palo Alto Daily News and former reporter for the Daily Post, pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of possession of pornography on Friday, Jan. 22, said San Mateo County Chief Deputy District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe.

The plea bargain ends his prosecution on felony charges of possessing child pornography on his home computer.

A sentencing hearing is set for 8:30 a.m. April 6 in San Mateo County Superior Court in Redwood City, Mr. Wagstaffe said.

Mr. Bothun faces a sentence of up to 204 days in county jail — the 180-day maximum jail sentence, plus an additional day for each of the 24 pornographic images on his computer, Mr. Wagstaffe said.

Mr. Bothun was arrested on child pornography charges in March 2008, when his partner called Atherton police to report domestic violence. When police officers showed up, he told them about pornographic material on Mr. Bothun's computer, according to Mr. Wagstaffe.

Mr. Bothun was also charged at the time with possession of a glass pipe, which is considered drug paraphernalia. He has been out of jail on $100,000 bail, but has been arrested twice since on drug-related charges: once in July 2008 in Menlo Park, and again on April 5, 2009, in Santa Clara.