San Diego

A criminal defense attorney who had a role in the operation of a call-girl ring was sentenced Monday to 120 days in a work-furlough program.

Under the terms of his sentence, Brent Barnes, 49, of Bonita, will be free during the day but will be locked up nights and weekends in a county-supervised facility.

San Diego Superior Court Judge William Mudd also placed Barnes on probation for three years.

Barnes pleaded no contest Sept. 22 to being an accessory-after-the-fact in connection with the call-girl ring. He had been charged with two counts of pandering, and those counts were dismissed in a plea-bargain agreement.

According to his attorney, Athena Shudde, Barnes could lose his license to practice law because of his felony conviction.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Bonnie Dumanis said Barnes was aware that he arranged for a woman to become involved in prostitution.

A co-defendant, Karen Wilkening, 41, of Linda Vista, is still a fugitive, having fled the area during her preliminary hearing last September.

“You knew very quickly what the business of your friend was,” the judge told Barnes. “You knew exactly what she was up to.”