TAMPA – A jury panel had been assembled to begin selection for the second murder trial for Altwain Carlisle on Tuesday morning when he and his attorney announced to the court that Carlisle wished to change his plea to a “best interest plea” on the three drug counts.
Carlisle and his attorney mulled over the offer from the prosecution, and faced some mandatory prison time, but ultimately made the decision as the jury trial could result in a “life in prison” verdict.
The backstory:
In August 2023, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office responded to a death from a suspected overdose.
The victim, Dhane Hogan, had purchased cocaine from a dealer, but it turned out to be fentanyl.Â
The death investigation led detectives to the identity of the dealer, Altwain Carlisle. A warrant was issued for his arrest.
In May 2024, the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force served that arrest warrant on Carlisle as he was located in Alabama.
Hillsborough County had him extradited back to Florida to face the charges of murder in the 1st degree, trafficking in fentanyl, delivery of cocaine and possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell.
Dig deeper:
In July, the State Attorney’s Office brought the criminal case to court. A jury was selected and the prosecution and defense presented their cases.
Hogan’s mother attended the trial each day with hopes of some justice for her son. She and the family sat through testimony, saw the crime scene photos of her son’s body and heard the description of what happened. They hung on thinking that the case would be over for them finally when it was turned over to the jury to deliberate.
But Tiffany Thompson did not get what she was hoping for in the end.
The jury did not return a verdict.Â
In the courtroom vernacular, it was a “hung jury.” One juror was a hold out, and they could not return a unanimous verdict.
This put the case back into the trial wheel for the prosecution to try the case again.
READ: Mother charged in murder of 6-year-old son held without bond
Carlisle and his attorney also addressed the court that the prosecution agreed to reduce the murder charge to manslaughter.Â
Judge Lyann Coudie addressed Carlisle directly and explained to him what the guilty plea represents. He was forfeiting his right to an appeal, and he was going to be sentenced according to the plea deal.
Carlisle answered that he understood those facts in open court.
Judge Goudie pronounced the sentence of 15-years in Florida State Prison for the manslaughter charge and 20-years in prison for the trafficking in fentanyl charge, which is a mandatory minimum sentence. The sentence for the other charges will be less than that with all sentences being served concurrently.
She went through the procedures of the court, the sentencing and court costs that Carlisle would be required to pay.
Following the sentencing, Carlisle was processed by the bailiffs and escorted from the courtroom.
What’s next:
Carlisle was sentenced as a re-offender because he was released from Florida State Prison less than two years prior to these new charges. That re-offender status means he will serve day-for-day for all the years in prison as sentenced.
The Source: This story was written based on the arrest report information from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and the court documents from July and in-person coverage of court today.