Drug dealer enters plea and is sentenced
A 48-year old Wilmington man was found guilty by a Superior Court jury on charges related to an attempted stabbing. In June 2016, Eli Escalera threatened an innocent bystander while holding a knife at a DART bus stop on Route 13 near Memorial Drive in New Castle. The woman ran and was able to flag down a New Castle County Police officer while Escalera chased her. Escalera was convicted of Possession of a Deadly Weapon During the Commission of a Felony, Aggravated Menacing, Disorderly Conduct, and Possession of a Deadly Weapon by a Person Prohibited. The state will ask the Court to sentence Escalera, convicted of several felonies including grand theft and multiple robberies in other states, as a Habitual Offender, which could lead to a sentence of life in prison. Deputy Attorney General Amanda DiLiberto prosecuted the case.
An undercover tip to police led to the arrest and conviction of a 55-year-old Elsmere man for dealing heroin. Deputy Attorney General Amanda DiLiberto secured a guilty plea to Tier Four Drug Dealing and Felony Resisting Arrest from Michael Hegesi. After a 3 ½ month investigation, Elsmere Police officers executed a search warrant at Hegesi’s home in the 2000 block of West Newport Pike and found more than 3,600 bags of heroin. Hegesi was sentenced by a Superior Court judge to 2 years in prison, followed by 6 months of home confinement, then 18 months of probation. Hegesi also forfeited the $2,417 in drug money he had when arrested.