Anthony Nicholas Wheeler, 39, appears in a blue jumpsuit via video feed from the Jackson County Jail on Monday. Buffy Pollock/Rogue Valley Times

Pre-trial conference continued to May 12; Anthony Nicholas Wheeler, 39, remains in jail

A Jacksonville man arrested March 26 after police say he attempted to lure and sexually corrupt a local teenager via social media appeared in court on Monday morning.

Anthony Nicholas Wheeler, 39, appeared in a blue jumpsuit via video feed from the Jackson County Jail before Jackson County Circuit Court Judge Paul Moser.

The brief appearance was scheduled for a pre-trial conference but ultimately was continued to 9 a.m. May 12, to allow attorneys more time to prepare for trial. According to court documents, Wheeler waived his right to have his case brought to trial within 60 days of his arrest. 

Wheeler was arrested after connecting with a local teenager via the “Quick Add “feature on the mobile messaging app Snapchat, according to a Jackson County Sheriff’s Office news release following his arrest. The teen’s parents learned of the communications on March 22 and contacted the sheriff’s office.

Detectives with the Southern Oregon Child Exploitation Team took over the child’s Snapchat account and learned Wheeler was communicating sexually with the teen, according to the release. Wheeler arranged to meet with a SOCET detective posing as the teen, where undercover law enforcement with JCSO, SOCET, Oregon State Police and the Medford Police Department had positioned themselves at the suspect’s prearranged meeting spot at a bowling alley in east Medford, according to authorities.

Video of the arrest can be watched at vimeo.com/1070169864?share=copy#t=0.

Wheeler can be heard on a video provided by JCSO, at the time of his arrest, saying, “Oh, I knew this was gonna happen.”

Wheeler, was officially charged with first-degree online sexual corruption of a child, second-degree online sexual corruption of a child and luring a minor. He remains lodged in jail on $250,000 bail.

Wheeler has prior convictions in Douglas and Jackson counties dating back to 2008 that include reckless driving, second-degree criminal trespass, unauthorized use of vehicle and driving under the influence of intoxicants, court records show.