By JOE PINCHOT

jpinchot@sharonherald.com

Lawrence County Common Pleas Judge Thomas M. Piccione was ready to sentence Edward L. Wilkie to four to 10 years in prison, but backed off when Wilkie’s attorney protested that the sentence was not what Wilkie had expected.

Defense attorney William M. Panella asked that the sentence be delayed so he can talk with Wilkie over the weekend. Senior Deputy Attorney General Michael H. Ahwesh consented to the delay and agreed the sentence had not been completed, paving the way for Wilkie to withdraw his plea, if he chooses.

Wilkie, 32, formerly of the Buffalo area, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, conspiracy to commit possession with intent to deliver, corrupt organization, a firearms sale violation and former convict not to own a firearm. The plea came as part of an investigation into a plot to buy guns illegally in support of the drug trade. As part of the plot, guns were bought at a Hermitage gun store, whose employees tipped off authorities.

While acknowledging Piccione’s discretion to issue any sentence he sees fit, Panella and Wilkie said Wilkie had taken the plea because it was their understanding his sentence would not extend past a federal sentence Wilkie is serving.

“I’m guilty of several of these charges, not all of them,” Wilkie said.

Piccione said he was going to sentence to Wilkie to four to 10 years concurrent with his federal sentence. The four-year minimum would fall within the 2013 release date of his federal sentence.

However, Panella argued that the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections could decide Wilkie must serve more than his minimum, and could keep him until about 2017, accounting for 392 days credit for the time Wilkie has spent in the Lawrence County jail.

“They’re not going to parole him until they want to parole him,” Panella said of state prison officials.

Ahwesh said Wilkie would have to at least spend enough time in state prison to be processed and paroled. Wilkie will not simply be released by the U.S. Bureau of Prisons once he completes his federal sentence, Ahwesh said.

Piccione said he was not willing to drop the sentence to two to four years or two to five years.

“These are grievous offenses,” Piccione said.

Piccione earlier had told Wilkie he will have to straighten out his life and start thinking more about his son.