A man will serve between 6 ½ and 20 years in prison for attempting to cut another man’s throat with a box cutter.

Kevin Franklin

Courtesy of the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office

Kevin Nashon Franklin, 35, was sentenced after pleading guilty to a count each of assault with intent to do bodily harm less than murder and carrying a weapon with unlawful intent. He pleaded guilty earlier this year to attacking a then-43-year-old Superior Township man in the 9100 block of MacArthur Boulevard in Superior Township on Aug. 17, 2011.

Franklin has a criminal history and is familiar with Washtenaw County Trial Court Judge Donald Shelton. The judge told Franklin he couldn’t risk Franklin coming before him again for an even more serious crime.

“You’ve been coming before me for 13 or 14 years and it keeps getting worse,” Shelton said, “in the sense that I keep worrying someone will end up dead.”

On the charge of assault with intent to do bodily harm less than murder, Franklin was sentenced to 6 ½ years to 20 years in prison. He received a sentence of between four years and nine months and 10 years in prison for the charge of carrying a weapon with unlawful intent. The sentences will run concurrently, Shelton ruled.

Franklin was originally charged with two counts of assault with intent to murder and an additional charge of assault with intent to do bodily harm less than murder when he was arraigned in June, in addition to the two charges to which he pleaded guilty.

According to police, Franklin was among a large group of people outside the Superior Township man’s home on Aug. 17, 2011. The victim said he got out of his car and went to talk to the group and, during the conversation, two people initiated a physical fight with him.

Others joined in the fight and the man was hit a number of times with fists and bottles. He got to his porch and, as he attempted to get inside, Franklin tried to slash his throat with a razor. The man defended himself with his arm, which was cut in the process.

Franklin was arraigned on the charges in June. At one point, he was listed as one of the county’s most wanted men by the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office.

According to state records, Franklin has been convicted of 12 felonies dating back to 1998. The majority of the convictions are for drug offenses.

Franklin apologized to Shelton, his family and the victim for his actions when he was in court Tuesday.

“I’m sorry for coming back before the court, I’m sorry to my family for what they’ve gone through and I’m sorry to my victim,” he said.

As sheriff’s deputies were leading him away in handcuffs, Franklin’s family shouted, “We love you, Kevin” to him repeatedly. He looked back at them, and said nothing.

Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.