LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Louisville man who was found with homemade explosives and chemicals in his home was sentenced Tuesday. 

Judge Patricia Morris sentenced Marc Hibel to five years probation. He entered an Alford plea last September, meaning he maintained his innocence but acknowledged there was enough evidence for a jury to convict him.

The plea was for two misdemeanor counts of criminal trespassing and wanton endangerment, with a proposed sentence of three years in prison that instead was probated for five years. He also pleaded guilty to a new charge of possession of LSD.

Under terms of the plea, Hibel must continue mental health treatment, stay away from the home on Applegate Lane and not have any chemicals or hazardous materials. If he stays out of trouble while on probation, he will avoid time behind bars.

Hibel was arrested in August 2023 after officials found explosives and chemicals at his home on Applegate Lane in the Highview neighborhood. Officials said he was squatting in the home next door. Both sites have since been cleaned up. The house Hibel owned was demolished. 

"He has felt the reaction from the community as they question him and kind of wonder what he's about at this stage," Hibel's attorney, Thomas Rasinski, said at sentencing Tuesday. "And he doesn't want to do anything that furthers the community's concerns that they already have about him." 

He described Hibel as a "perfect candidate" for probation and a "dream client." He said Hibel has been out on bond since October 2023 and has continued to comply with mental health treatment and cooperate with officials. 

Rasinski said Hibel was a hobbyist chemist and this was an "issue more of storage and usage" than anything about intent to harm the community. 

"As much as he loves chemicals as a hobby and things like that, he understands," Rasinski said. "He spent some time in jail. He's never been in jail before. That made an impression on him. First thing he asked me when I introduced myself to him was 'Can you please get me out of here? I'm not doing well.'"

Morris said Hibel has proven himself to be able to follow the rules and regulations imposed upon him.

"I don't think any one of us forgets that, although I don't believe you are a threat to the community at this time — and that's why I am probating you — when this occurred, I believe you not only put yourself and your family at risk but possibility the community at large at risk, and that was a concern to this court," Morris said. 

Ebert Haegele, a prosecutor with the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office, said he feels Tuesday's sentencing was a good resolution for the case.

"I think that the response to this shows just how serious and potentially dangerous this whole situation was," Haegele said. "The commonwealth is very thoughtful of how this affected, specifically, that Applegate community and took that into consideration when handling this as a whole from the beginning."

Heagele said with Hibel's supervised probation, he does not believe there is a public threat "at all anymore."

Heagele pointed out Hibel lost most all of his belongings when the home was demolished. 

"He has suffered for this," Heagele said. "Now, it's because of his actions that did this, but I think, really, we have a retired chemist with a mental illness — hoarding's mental illness — and I think he just hoarded what was comfortable to him because what he knew, and it got out of hand. And, unfortunately for the community, they were put in danger. And for him, he's paid a great price. But he's been held accountable today and will be supervised for the next five years. And, with his mental health treatment, I don't anticipate us seeing him again."

Hibel and his attorney declined to comment after sentencing. 

IMAGES | Inside the Highview home where explosives and chemicals were found

Louisville officials are trying to determine the best way to remove hazardous materials from the home on Applegate Lane. 

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