MARION COUNTY, FL (352today.com) – A twenty-three time convicted felon finds himself behind bars for upwards of 50 years on Drug Trafficking charges.
Initial Investigation
In 2021, the Florida Department of Probation and Parole initiated an investigation after they found firearms and narcotics inside of Chisolm’s residence off Hemlock Course in Ocala, FL. The Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) was called in to provide assistance in the case.
Probation officials told MCSO deputies that when they initially knocked on the door, a female named Latoya Wilderkson-Chisholm answered. They say she indicated she “needed to put on some clothing” before allowing them inside.
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The probation officials told deputies they waited an “unusually long amount of time” before Wilkerson-Chisholm returned and allowed them to enter.
Officials say they located various amounts of illicit narcotics and scales, along with multiple firearms and a large amount of cash inside of the residence.
After obtaining a warrant, MCSO deputies and members of the Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team (UDEST) entered the residence and located all items identified by probation authorities.
Outcome
Authorities questioned Santini Chisholm about the evidence, who denied all ownership to the narcotics and firearms. Latoya Wilkerson-Chisholm, identified as a co-defendant, stated she “couldn’t say” if the drugs belonged to her husband.
Wilkerson-Chisholm entered a plea deal in 2023. She was found guilty and sentenced to 21 months in prison. She was credited for time served, given three years probation, and ordered to complete 200 hours of community service.
Jurors in the Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office found 43-year-old Santini Antwain Chisholm guilty on five counts of drug-trafficking-related offenses on March 6, one day after his trial commenced.
Those charges included Armed Trafficking in Fentanyl, two counts of Armed Trafficking in a Controlled Substance, Armed Trafficking in Oxycodone, and Possession of a Firearm by a Felon.
He has been sentenced to 50 years in prison.
“We are fully committed to protecting our neighborhoods by aggressively prosecuting drug traffickers who endanger public safety, ensuring that those who engage in these illegal operations face severe legal repercussions,” says Bill Gladson, the State Attorney for the Fifth Judicial Circuit. “We’d like to also thank our community partners at the Department of Probation and Parole who were able to dismantle this illicit drug network and get this dangerous defendant off our streets.”
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