Rape, Exploitation of Children Result In Prison Sentences In Three Cases

Manslaughter, assault, drug dealing cases also lead to jail

Richard White, a 41-year-old Wilmington man, will spend the rest of his life in prison for the repeated rape of a child. Over the course of 5 years beginning in November 2012, White repeatedly had sexual intercourse with the child, and took photos and videos of them having sex. A Superior Court judge sentenced White to life in prison for his January 2018 guilty plea to Rape Second Degree. Deputy Attorney General Diana Dunn prosecuted the case, with New Castle County Police Detective John Adams as the chief investigating officer.

A 24-year-old New Castle man will spend at least 10 years in prison for raping a child. Deputy Attorney General Diana Dunn secured a guilty plea from Kevin Robinson to Rape Second Degree. Over the course of a month during the summer of 2017, Robinson forced the child to perform oral sex on him approximately 10 times. A Superior Court judge will sentence Robinson in September to between 10 and 25 years in prison, and force him to register as a Tier III sex offender.

Stephen Forbes, 54, of Townsend, faces at least 12 years in prison for his guilty plea to sexual exploitation and child pornography charges. Over the course of almost 4 years beginning in 2014, Forbes took nude photos of an underage girl. At the time of his arrest, Forbes also had pictures of other underage children engaged in sexual activity. Forbes pled guilty to 3 counts Sexual Exploitation of a Child and 3 counts of Dealing in Child Pornography. Forbes faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 12 years in prison when sentenced by a Superior Court judge in September. Deputy Attorney General Periann Doko prosecuted Forbes, with Detective Austin Jenkins and Detective Darryl Santry of the New Castle County Police Department serving as lead investigators on this case.

A Superior Court judge convicted a Dover man in a bench trial on manslaughter and weapons charges for a fatal shooting in 2016. Deputy Attorneys General Brian Robertson and Cynthia Hurlock secured the conviction against 32-year-old Reginald Waters. In February 2016, Waters shot and killed 31-year-old Clifton Thompson after a brief interaction in the parking lot outside Thompson’s home in the Prides Court Apartments in Ogletown. The judge found Waters guilty of Manslaughter, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited, and Possession of Ammunition by a Person Prohibited. Waters, barred from having a gun because of previous felony convictions for sexual assault and weapons charges, faces a range of 65 years up to life in prison when sentenced by the Court later this year.

An 18-year-old Only My Brothers gang member pled guilty for his involvement in a Wilmington shooting. In September 2017, Tylir Clark shot Rasheen Congo, a member of the rival Shoot To Kill (STK) gang, in the foot as Congo walked in the 700 block of Townsend Street. Clark pled guilty to Assault First Degree and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, and was immediately sentenced by a Superior Court judge to 5 years in prison, followed by 6 months of either home confinement or work release then 18 months of probation. Deputy Attorney General Cynthia Hurlock prosecuted the case.

Deputy Attorney General Timothy Maguire secured a guilty plea from Frank Minatee, 28, of Wilmington to drug and weapons charges. In November 2017, Wilmington Police executed a search warrant on Minatee’s apartment in the 100 block of North Harrison Street, finding cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and guns. Minatee pled to Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony and Drug Dealing. Because of previous felony convictions, a Superior Court judge will sentence Minatee as a habitual offender in August to 12 ½ years in prison. DOJ paralegal Caitlin Lynam assisted with the prosecution.