Additional pleas and sentences for weapons, gang, and patient abuse charges
One of 13 members of the Touch Money Gang indicted in 2015 for a long list of murders, shootings and other crimes has been convicted in Superior Court. John Brisco, 19, of Wilmington was found guilty of two counts of Murder First Degree, three counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited, three counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, three counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Juvenile, Possession of Ammunition By a Person Prohibited, Gang Participation, Attempted Robbery First Degree, Conspiracy First Degree, and Conspiracy Second Degree. In January 2015, Brisco shot William Rollins, Jr. multiple times near the intersection of West 21st and North Washington Streets in Wilmington. Brisco also shot and killed Ioannis Kostikidis, a security guard at the American Beauty School, during a robbery attempt at 6th and Tatnall Streets on February 6, 2013. The Delaware Department of Justice, Wilmington Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation that led to the 91-count indictment against the gang members by a grand jury on August 31, 2015. The investigation also involved the Delaware State Police, New Castle County Police, Juvenile Probation, New Castle City Police, Department of Corrections, Elsmere Police, Federal Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and U.S. Marshal Service. Brisco faces life in prison when sentenced later this year.
“This defendant was one of the most dangerous individuals in the city of Wilmington, and Delaware DOJ and law enforcement have spent years assembling the complex case against him and other TMG members,” Attorney General Matt Denn said “I especially thank and commend Deputy Attorneys General John Downs, Dan McBride and Periann Doko and paralegal Jaime Prater, along with Sgt. Randy Nowell, Det. Tom Curley and Det. Marty Lenhardt of Wilmington Police, on the result of this trial. I also thank the many other DOJ deputies and staff, Wilmington Police and fellow law enforcement agencies who contributed to this important case.”
In other recent cases:
Deputy Attorneys General Cynthia Hurlock and Katherine Butler secured guilty pleas from 25-year-old Troy Gee and 19-year-old Elijah Warren, both of Wilmington, for their roles in a November 2015 Wilmington shooting as well as Gee’s role in a high-speed police chase the following day. Gee, one of two shooters, pled guilty in Superior Court to Assault First Degree, Possession of a Firearm during the Commission of a Felony, Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited, and two counts of Conspiracy Second Degree. Warren, who was the getaway driver for the shooters, admitted his role and entered a guilty plea in Superior Court to charges of Assault Second Degree, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, Reckless Endangering First Degree, and Conspiracy Second Degree. The shooting occurred on November 2, 2015 at 3rd and North Harrison Streets in broad daylight. In an effort to shoot their intended victim, Gee and a second individual fired a total of 23 rounds in the direction of a crowd of children playing in the street after school. Bullets struck the intended adult male victim, as well as a 13-year-old child playing in the street, and only narrowly missed others who were in the area. Gee was apprehended the next day, with two other individuals, following a lengthy vehicle pursuit through the city. Four guns and over 200 rounds of ammunition were seized from the suspects’ vehicle. Gee faces a mandatory 10-year jail sentence and could be sentenced to over 70 years. Warren faces a 3-year mandatory jail sentence and could be sentenced to up to 40 years in jail. Both defendants will be sentenced in late May. The investigation remains active with respect to the identity of the second shooter. Anyone with additional information regarding the identity is asked to contact the DOJ or the Wilmington Police Department.
A 26-year-old Wilmington man will spend at least 27 years in prison when sentenced for a 2015 homicide in Wilmington. Deputy Attorneys General Phillip Casale and Colleen Norris secured a guilty plea from Marquivus Hardy, 26, of Wilmington to Murder Second Degree, Assault Second Degree, two counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, Home Invasion, Conspiracy First Degree, and Conspiracy Second. In July 2015, Hardy and three other men broke into the garage at a home in the 300 block of Martin Drive in New Castle, and shot and killed 29-year-old Isaias Gonzalez. Another man received treatment for gunshot wounds to both legs. Hardy faces a minimum mandatory 27 years in prison when sentenced in Superior Court later this year. Hardy’s co-defendants, Timane Dollard, 25, Dameir Walker, 25, and Miguel Taylor, 25, all of Wilmington are all in prison awaiting trial.
Deputy Attorney General John Taylor secured a prison sentenced for Carlos Rivera, 30, of Wilmington on drug and weapons charges. In March 2016, Wilmington Police officers stopped Rivera’s car in the 700 block of East 7th Street, after seeing him illegally pass several other vehicles. A search of the vehicle resulted in officers finding crack cocaine, heroin and a handgun. In January 2017, Rivera pled guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited and Tier 4 Drug Dealing. Rivera was sentenced in Superior Court to 12 years in prison.
A 17-year-old became the 16th member of the Only My Brothers (OMB) gang to plead guilty to charges included in the 2016 indictment related to the activities of OMB. Deputy Attorney General Cynthia Hurlock secured the pleas from Stephan Minus of Wilmington in both Family and Superior Court. In Family Court, Minus pled to Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited, and in Superior Court, he pled to Gang Participation, Aggravated Menacing and Carrying a Concealed Deadly Weapon. Minus was sentenced to at least a mandatory 6 months at the Ferris School, which must be served in addition to the 9 months he has already served in custody. Upon completing the Ferris Program, Minus will be transferred to adult custody to serve his Superior Court sentence, which includes 18 months of adult probation following his release from Ferris.
A former direct support staff person pled no contest to misdemeanor Patient Abuse for an incident involving a client of Chimes, a service provider for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In November 2015, Shonte Carter, 31, of Wilmington threw wooden puzzle pieces at the victim, causing cuts on his forehead, upper lip, and bruising around his right eye. Carter was sentenced in Superior Court to 6 months of probation, and to have no contact with the victim or with Chimes. Special Investigator Thomas Abram handled the investigation for the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the case was prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Barchi. DOJ reminds the public that anyone who suspects abuse, neglect or mistreatment of a patient in a facility can call 302-577-8500.