Other defendants face prison time for drug, weapons charges
Jaquan Crump, 22, of Dover will spend the next 10 years in prison for a 2017 stabbing. Deputy Attorney General Marie Graham secured the sentence for Crump who was convicted by a Superior Court jury in February of Assault First Degree and Possession of a Deadly Weapon During the Commission of a Felony. In July 2017, Crump and a woman became involved in a physical altercation in the 100 block of West Loockerman Street in Dover. During the fight, Crump stabbed the woman four times and puncturing both of her lungs. A judge sentenced Crump to 10 years in prison, followed by the completion of the CREST substance abuse program, 8 months of work release, then 2 years of probation in the CREST after care program.
Deputy Attorney General Timothy Maguire secured a 35-year prison sentence for a Wilmington man found guilty of drug and weapons charges. In June 2017, Wilmington Police responded to the 700 block of North West Street in reference to drug sales from a car. When officers searched the occupants of the car, they found a loaded 9mm handgun from the pocket of James Demby. A subsequent search led to numerous bags of heroin. In January 2018, a Superior Court jury convicted Demby of Carrying a Concealed Deadly Weapon, Drug Dealing Heroin, 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. A judge sentenced Demby, barred from having a gun because of previous felony convictions on drug and robbery charges, as a habitual offender to 35 years in prison, followed by 6 months of either work release or home confinement then 18 months of probation.
A 26-year-old Wilmington man will spend the next 25 years in prison after his sentencing hearing on drug dealing and resisting arrest charges. Deputy Attorney General Mark Denney secured the prison sentence for Rydell Mills, convicted by a Superior Court jury in February of Drug Dealing Cocaine, Drug Dealing Heroin, 2 counts of Resisting Arrest with Force or Violence, and numerous probation violations. In August 2017, Wilmington Police, acting on an anonymous 911 call, found Mills in an alleyway behind the 300 block of East 23rd Street. Mills ran when officers approached, and fought for several minutes before several additional officers were able to take him into custody. A judge sentenced Mills as a habitual offender due to prior violent felony convictions for Racketeering, Assault Second Degree, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, Drug Dealing Heroin, and Reckless Endangering First Degree to 25 years in prison, followed by 6 months of either home confinement or work release, then 18 months of probation. The state recognized Wilmington police officers Donald Palmatary and Robert DiRocco at sentencing for their bravery and professionalism in this case.
A Wilmington 16-year-old involved in a shooting and who possessed multiple firearms will go to prison after a guilty plea to Reckless Endangering First Degree, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Juvenile. In November 2017, Darrell Boyd, who was 16 at the time, fired several shots at three men he claimed were going to rob his friends in the 2500 block of North Tatnall Street. Boyd was arrested days later and found with a different, stolen firearm, in addition to the one he used in the shooting. A Superior Court judge immediately sentenced Boyd, now 17, to 3 ½ years in prison, followed by 6 months of either home confinement or work release, then 2 years of probation. Deputy Attorney General Mark Denney prosecuted the case.