A Frankfort man – convicted in one of the county’s largest drug busts – was denied shock probation after serving about three months since his sentence was handed down.
In April 2011, deputies from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office searched 44-year-old Anthony Wilhoite’s property where they found a variety of illegal drugs.
The drugs confiscated included 1,321 30mg Percocet pills from Florida, three-and-a-half ounces of cocaine, 10 ounces of marijuana, 80 packages of Suboxone (a substance used for opioid addiction) 100 Viagra and Cialis pills, and 125 vials of a human growth hormone and other steroids. There also were seven shotguns and rifles, six pistols, two cell phones and $73,534 in cash.
Wilhoite, of 208 Bracken Court, was sentenced on Feb. 11 to 10 years for the drug-related charges and an additional two years for separate fraud charges.
Wilhoite’s attorney Mark Bubenzer made an argument for shock probation in both cases, but Franklin Circuit Judge Thomas Wingate denied the motion.
“Mr. Wilhoite has served a period of time while incarcerated in Franklin County Jail and an extended period of time of home incarceration,” Bubenzer said adding that $25,000 restitution has been repaid to Farmer’s Bank.
“During this time, and particularly while on home incarceration (before sentencing) he followed all orders of the court. He’s remained drug and alcohol free, and we believe Mr. Wilhoite is not a danger to anyone upon his release,” Bubenzer said in court Friday.
Wilhoite would have had employment available to him if he was released, Bubenzer added. Before Wingate gave his ruling Wilhoite apologized for his actions.
“This past year of incarceration has been the toughest of my life, and I’m not the same person,” he told the judge.
“I’ve had a lot of life-changing experiences this past year, and I’ve realized what I did. I’d like to make right all the wrongs I’ve made.”
Wingate took Wilhoite’s plea into consideration, but denied the motion because of his record.
“The problem with this case is it is the second felony, and I have to treat Mr. Wilhoite the same as everyone else with two felonies and deny the motion for shock probation,” Wingate said.
Wilhoite will be eligible for a parole hearing in less than three years.
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