Man sentenced to 237 years in prison for robberies loses appeal

By Cy Ryan

Friday, Oct. 4, 2013 | 12:17 p.m.

Jason Wiley, sentenced to 237 years in prison for a string of robberies in Clark County in August 2010, has lost his appeal to the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Wiley was convicted in 2011 of nine counts of interference with commerce by robbery and one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce. The robberies were mostly at convenience stores and netted about $3,000.

In his appeal, Wiley argued that six of his robberies did not interfere with interstate commerce, but the court said Thursday that the vast majority of the alcohol beverages sold by five of the businesses were manufactured outside Nevada.

“The depletion of resources of such interstate businesses affects interstate commerce,” the appeals court decision said.

Wiley’s partner in crime, Christopher DiBlasio, pleaded guilty to 10 robbery counts and testified against Wiley during the federal court trial. He received a 15-year prison term.

At the sentencing, Wiley asked for leniency from Senior U.S. District Judge Lloyd George, saying he rejected a plea bargain that would have put him in prison for 32 years. He said he did not want to be away from his two children that long.