On December 19, 2007, Kenton County Sheriff Deputies David Hehman and Brett Lovell went to Wilder's residence on Banklick Street in Covington to serve the warrant.  When Deputies arrived they noticed an odor of marijuana coming from the residence.  In Wilder's bedroom, the Deputies found almost 5 grams of cocaine in multiple baggies, several ounces of marijuana, various items of drug paraphernalia consistent with drug trafficking, cash, and a loaded small-caliber handgun.  Wilder told Deputies that he did not use cocaine but sold it to pay for his marijuana habit.  The recovery of those additional narcotics and other items resulted in additional charges being filed against Wilder. 

 

On 2/14/08, Wilder was again Indicted by the Kenton County Grand Jury for Trafficking in a Controlled Substance (cocaine) and Trafficking in Marijuana While is Possession of a Firearm.  On 4/14/08 Wilder entered a guilty plea to the charges resulting from the search of his residence.  Commonwealth's Attorney Rob Sanders is recommending a 5 1/2 year sentence.  The NKDSF case is still pending.  Final sentencing is set for 5/27/08.

 

Sanders said Wilder's case illustrates how drug trafficking, although classified by the legislature as "non-violent," can still be incredibly dangerous to law enforcement.  "Everyone involved was very fortunate that the Defendant did not have the gun on his person or this could have turned out very different," said Sanders.  "There's just no telling what kinds of dangers drug dealers bring with them," he said.  Sanders also said he hopes legislators and corrections officials keep cases like Wilder in mind before "opening the prison doors to so-called non-violent offenders."  "In Mr. Wilder's case, his home was his place of business," said Sanders, "and his business was drugs and guns so how good of an idea is it to send him back to his place of business to serve a felony sentence on "home incarceration?!"  Sanders was referring to recent talk in Frankfort of releasing hundreds of non-violent felons onto home incarceration in order to save money in the corrections budget.