The News Tribune – by Alexis Krell
A Tacoma lawyer has been dispensing more than legal advice during visits to the Pierce County Jail, according to prosecutors, who accused him of having sex with an inmate and providing drugs to others.
William Mack Stoddard Jr., 68, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges of second-degree introducing contraband, unlawfully delivering a controlled substance and conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance.
Court Commissioner Meagan Foley set his bail at $7,500, and suspended his privileges to visit the jail as a lawyer.
Court records did not list an attorney for Stoddard, who could not be reached by The News Tribune.
According to the documents:
Stoddard visited the jail Feb. 3, and a corrections officer noticed he smelled of marijuana.
When jail staff members checked the interview room after Stoddard left, they found butane hash oil (concentrated THC), which isn’t allowed in the facility.
One of the inmates Stoddard visited said he and the attorney had sex during the meetings, and that in exchange Stoddard provided money for phone calls and other expenses in the jail.
The two visited 19 times between March 2015 and Feb. 3, 2016. Stoddard was not the inmate’s defense attorney and appeared to be representing him in a dependency proceeding.
Stoddard would bring butane hash oil to the inmate, who then would deliver it to other prisoners who had earlier met with Stoddard to give him money to buy the drugs.
At one point the lawyer sent the inmate a letter that said in part: “So bringing in contraband is a felony. However, I knew that the 1st conviction was a pass situation.”
Prosecutors said they might add charges as the investigation continues.
News Tribune archives indicate Stoddard ran unsuccessfully to be the Pierce County prosecutor in 1990.
The Washington State Bar Association lawyer directory lists Stoddard as having a private law practice in Tacoma and has no record of previous discipline. He was admitted to the bar in 1979.
wow. He must have been one desperate son-of-a-bitch to come from outside and have sex with a prisoner.
He’s no better than the rapists inside the prison if he’s depending on their captivity to get his rocks off. Lock him up. He’ll be right at home in there.
They should put him in the same cell with that house speaker senator that just got convicted for molesting young wrestlers.
I can’t even remember his name or title.
I just want to erase it from my mind.
But they would make a good couple.
lol…. Hastert (and “house-speaker” is his title)
“He was admitted to the bar in 1979.”
Then he definitely belongs BEHIND bars.
POS.