A convicted child molester residing in Chesterton is seeking to withdraw his plea of guilty and instead go to trial in federal court on a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Robert Wainwright, 64, of 1357 Morningside Drive, pleaded to that charge in January and a sentencing hearing was scheduled for April 16. Prior to that hearing, however, his attorney filed a motion to withdraw that plea and proceed to trial, Mary Hatton of the U.S. Attorney’s Office told the Chesterton Tribune today.

Wainwright is seeking to withdraw his guilty plea on the ground that he was “mistaken about the ultimate sentence he could have faced,” Hatton said.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office did not object to Wainwright’s petition and asked that a trial date be set, Hatton said.

In April 2007 a federal search warrant was executed on Wainwright’s waste disposal business in Gary and officers recovered from his possession there a loaded semi-automatic pistol, a SKS 7.63 x 39 mm. semi-automatic rifle, a 12-gauge shotgun, and more than 2,900 rounds of ammunition, including more than 2,800 rounds of 7.62 x 39 mm. ammunition for the SKS rifle, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has said.

In a subsequent search of Wainwright’s residence in Chesterton, officers recovered an additional 20 firearms, including loaded semi-automatic pistols and shotguns, and additional ammunition, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has said.

It is illegal for convicted felons to own firearms. Wainwright has a prior felony conviction for child molesting.

Wainwright remains free on bond.

Posted 4/22/2008