Convicted former Dublin prison warden has new lawyer days after guilty verdict

OAKLAND, Calif. - Ray J. Garcia asked to have a new lawyer represent him for his sentencing, four days after a jury found him guilty of sexually abusing at least three women while he was warden at the prison in Dublin. 

James Reilly of San Rafael, who defended Garcia during his seven-day trial at the U.S. District Courthouse in Oakland, is no longer representing him.

Instead, Kevin G. Little of Fresno will stand by Garcia's side at his sentencing, which was pushed back to March 23, court records state.

There was no reason stated in the change-of-attorney request, which Judge Yvonne Gonzales Rogers approved on Dec. 13.

Little did not respond for comment on Friday. His website said his two-person firm specializes in civil rights, criminal, employment, retaliation, personal injury, medical malpractice, bankruptcy, family and appellate law. 

Garcia was convicted on Dec. 8 of eight counts of sexual abuse and lying to the FBI. 

From 2019, to 2021, the jury found that Garcia groomed women with flattery and then ended up doing illegal acts, such as taking their naked photos and showing them his penis. He had naked phone sex with one of them and digitally penetrated another woman in the bathroom while Prison Rape Elimination Act auditors were in the next room. 

One of the women testified that Garcia instructed her to insert a candy cane in her vagina and then he took photos of her on all fours. 

Throughout the trial, Garcia categorically denied all the sexual abuse, and created a convoluted story about taking photos of the women on all-fours because he mistakenly thought she was cutting up drugs on her friend's bed. 

He faces at least 15 years in prison. 

After the conviction, jury foreman Simeon Meyer told KTVU that he felt Reilly did a "really poor job," telling the jury that the women should be believed because they were convicted felons who had motive to lie. Meyer said he felt Reilly treated the women "with impunity," as did the rest of the jurors. 

Lisa Fernandez is a reporter for KTVU. Email Lisa at lisa.fernandez@fox.com or call her at 510-874-0139. Or follow her on Twitter @ljfernandez