Robert Hearne, 51, of Hockessin was sentenced to 7 life terms plus 80 years in prison for the repeated rape of a child over a 9-year period. Deputy Attorney General Diana Dunn obtained the sentence in Superior Court after Hearne was convicted at trial in January on 7 counts of Rape First Degree, 4 counts of Unlawful Sexual Contact Second Degree, 1 count of Unlawful Sexual Contact First Degree, Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child, Sexual Abuse of a Child by a Person in a Position of Trust First Degree, and Dangerous Crime Against a Child. The victim, a child in Hearne’s care, revealed to a therapist that Hearne sexually abused her. Hearne was sentenced to life in prison for each of the Rape First Degree convictions, 35 years for the Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child, 35 years for Sexual Abuse by a Person in a Position of Trust First Degree, and 10 years for the Dangerous Crime Against a Child. Hearne received probation on the other charges. Should Hearne be released from prison he would be required to register as a Tier III sex offender.

A 33-year-old Wilmington man faces a minimum mandatory prison sentence of 370 years for his role in a violent home invasion. Deputy Attorneys General Zachary Rosen and John Taylor secured a guilty verdict in a Superior Court jury trial for habitual offender Marshall Brown. Brown was convicted of 3 counts of Robbery First Degree, 2 counts of Assault First Degree, 8 Counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, Home Invasion, Burglary First Degree, Reckless Endangering First Degree, 8 counts of Wearing a Disguise During the Commission of a Felony, Conspiracy Second Degree, and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Dressed in clothes marked “POLICE” across the front, Brown, along with two others, committed a home invasion in May of 2015 in the 3900 block of DuPont Parkway in Townsend. During the home invasion, a resident of the home was shot in the leg, another resident was brutally beaten, and a 1-year-old was taken from the hands of his mother and held by the leg with a gun to his head. Brown, who has previous violent felony convictions on robbery, weapons, and drug charges, faces sentencing later this year.

Deputy Attorney General Timothy Maguire obtained conviction on weapons and drug charges in a jury trial for Nigel Campbell, 24, of Newark. Acting on a tip in June 2016 that Campbell was selling drugs out of his home, members of the Delaware State Police Governor’s Task Force set up a surveillance in the parking lot of his apartment building. Troopers took Campbell into custody, and found him with heroin and crack cocaine. A subsequent search of the apartment revealed additional heroin and cocaine as well as a loaded .380 caliber handgun. Campbell, prohibited from having a gun because of a previous drug conviction, was convicted of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, Drug Possession, Witness Intimidation, Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited, and Possession of Ammunition by a person Prohibited. Campbell, prohibited from having a gun because of previous felony convictions, faces a minimum mandatory 15 years in prison when sentenced in Superior Court in June.

Arvel Nesmith, 18, of Wilmington, became the 17th 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 guilty plea and prison sentence in Superior Court to Gang Participation, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of Felony, and a Violation of Probation on a Reckless Endangering charge. Nesmith was sentenced to 3 years in prison followed by 18 months of probation.

A 41-year old Wilmington man received a 12-year prison sentence in connection with years of sexually abusing a young girl in his care. Jacob Stagg pled guilty in Superior Court in January to Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child. Stagg repeatedly touched the child inappropriately from 2005-2007 when she was under 8 years old. Deputy Attorney General Jenna Milecki secured the 12-year prison sentence, followed by 6 months of either home confinement or work release, then 2 years of probation. Stagg will also register as a Tier III sex offender.

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