06/03/2026
Awesome job Sergeant Flanary!
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(Lake County, FL) Yesterday, the Office of the State Attorney for the Fifth Judicial Circuit secured a guilty verdict in the case against 38-year-old Barry Earl Wilbanks for Burglary of a Dwelling. Wilbanks, a sixteen-time convicted offender, was found guilty by jurors during his jury trial.
After the guilty verdict was rendered, the court found the defendant was a Prison Releasee Reoffender. Judge Brian J. Welke sentenced Wilbanks to 15 years in prison.
Wilbanksβ conviction stems from his 2024 arrest, just three days after being released from the Department of Corrections. In the early morning hours of August 12, 2024, Sergeant Flanary and Officer Simone of the Fruitland Park Police Department responded to a residence off Privett Drive in reference to a burglary that had just occurred. Upon arrival, the victim informed officers that they had just confronted an unknown male subject inside their home. The intruder fled before law enforcementβs arrival.
While conducting a perimeter check, officials received a second emergency call about a potential attempted burglary on Trussler Terrace. At that time, Sgt. Flanary observed an individual run across the street, matching the description of the subject in question. Sgt. Flanary then pursued the male, who was later determined to be Wilbanks, and took him into custody.
While detained, Wilbanks was positively identified by the homeowner as the suspect who had entered their home. Wilbanks was arrested and charged.
Assistant State Attorneys Rachel Jones and Devon Razey successfully prosecuted this case.
