Man arrested for lewd acts with minor thanks to CA Department of Fish and Wildlife Officer

On 12-20-2020 at about 6:15 PM Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Deputies were dispatched to assist a California Department of Fish and Wildlife Officer in regards to a suspected child abuse situation in the 4500 block of Mill Creek Road in Ukiah, California.

Upon the Deputy’s arrival, they contacted Brandon Wiard and a 13 year-old female who had been contacted by the Wildlife Officer who was on routine patrol.

The Deputy conducted an initial investigation and obtained information that Wiard had potentially engaged in sexual acts with the female juvenile.

Based on the circumstances, Sheriff's Detectives were contacted and assumed control of the investigation.

During the subsequent investigation, it is believed Wiard had engaged in unlawful sexually activity beginning when the female juvenile was 12 years-old and extended over the course of about one year.

Following the 12-20-2020 contact, Wiard was initially arrested for willfully engaging in lewd or lascivious acts with a child under the age of fourteen (288(a) PC), and for participating in an act of oral copulation with a person under fourteen years of age (287(c) (1) PC).

A Mendocino County Superior Court Judge was contacted and based on the allegations a bail enhancement was requested and accepted.

Wiard was booked into the Mendocino County Jail for the aforementioned charges and was to be held in lieu of $175,000.00 bail.

This case remains under investigation and Sheriff's Detectives are requesting persons familiar with Wiard or who have specific knowledge related to this incident or other incidents of the same nature to contact the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Tip-Line at 707-234-2100.

The case has been forwarded to the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office for review of additional charges related to Wiard’s sexual activity with the juvenile female.