SACRAMENTO - Michael Lyon, the former head of the powerhouse real estate firm that bears his family name, faces up to four years in state prison for skipping a Sept. 12 appointment with his probation officer.
Lyon, 58, had his probation revoked Friday and was arraigned on new drug charges of possessing morphine and possession for sale of methamphetamine.
He's being held in the Sacramento County Jail without bail.
"It doesn't look good," said William Portanova, the attorney who helped Lyon avoid prison time in 2011 following his conviction for secretly recording women in his homes.
Lyon was placed on probation for five years, and last summer Portanova filed a motion to have the probation terminated early.
"He had been a perfect probationer. Perfect," an exasperated Portanova said after the arraignment. "He was well on his way to ending probation early and putting all this behind him. So that's why we're shocked."
On Wednesday, probation officers visited Lyon's rented house in Arden Park because of the missed appointment and discovered the drugs.
They also arrested Lyon's girlfriend Shannon Campbell, 40, on identical drug charges and for failing to complete an alternative sentencing program on a previous conviction involving check forgery.
Portanova said Lyon may be ordered to serve the two years of prison time that was suspended in 2011 in addition to a couple of years on the new drug charges.
Both Lyon and Campbell are due back in court Oct. 7.
