A Lake County jury has found a 38-year-old man guilty of burglary just days after he finished a previous prison sentence, resulting in a new 15-year prison term.
The Office of the State Attorney for the Fifth Judicial Circuit secured the guilty verdict against Barry Earl Wilbanks for Burglary of a Dwelling. Following the jury’s verdict, Judge Brian J. Welke designated Wilbanks as a Prison Releasee Reoffender and handed down the 15-year sentence. Wilbanks enters state custody with 16 prior convictions on his record.
The case began with Wilbanks’ arrest in August 2024, which occurred three days after his release from the Department of Corrections. Early in the morning on August 12, 2024, Sergeant Flanary and Officer Simone arrived at a home off Privett Drive after receiving a report of a burglary in progress.
The homeowner told officers that they had just confronted an unknown man inside their house, but the intruder ran away before police got to the scene.
While checking the surrounding area, officers received another emergency call regarding a potential attempted burglary on nearby Trussler Terrace. During the search, Sgt. Flanary spotted a man running across the street who matched the suspect’s description. Sgt. Flanary chased the man, identified as Wilbanks, and took him into custody.
The homeowner positively identified Wilbanks as the person who had entered the residence. Wilbanks was subsequently arrested and charged.
Assistant State Attorneys Rachel Jones and Devon Razey prosecuted the case.
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