Repeat felon convicted again in SLO County court — this time for having ammunition
A previously-convicted felon was found guilty of another felony — illegally possessing ammunition — in the San Luis Obispo County courts on Friday.
On Nov. 17, Rye Daniel Wardlaw, 47, of San Luis Obispo was arrested on a warrant by the San Luis Obispo Police Department for failing to appear in court for a separate felony vandalism case, according to a news release from the SLO County District Attorney’s Office.
During the arrest, officer searched Wardlaw’s backpack and found 55 live rounds of .22 caliber ammunition, but no gun, the news release said.
At that time, he had four prior felony convictions — three for vandalism and one for possession of an illegal firearm, according to the release.
Due to his criminal record, Wardlaw was charged with possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.
After pleading not guilty and electing for a trial, Wardlaw was found guilty by a jury on Friday with an enhancement for being arrested when on bail, the release said.
After the conviction, Wardlaw plead no contest to the felony vandalism case for which he had been out on bail, the release said.
That case involved two incidents in which he first threw a lock through the window of a local business and then damaged a downtown parking pay machine with a golf club, the release said.
Wardlaw is scheduled to be sentenced on March 5 in Department 8 of the San Luis Obispo County Superior Court. He faces a maximum sentence of five years and eight months in prison.
This story was originally published February 11, 2025 at 4:47 PM.
