Delaware News

Wilmington Gang Member Faces Prison for 2015 Murder

Criminal Division | Department of Justice | Department of Justice Press Releases | Date Posted: Friday, June 29, 2018



Other defendants to serve time for manslaughter, sexual solicitation, and child pornography charges

A member of the Touch Money Gang (TMG) indicted in 2015 for a lengthy list of shootings, murders, and other crimes pled guilty to the February 2015 murder of 17-year-old Deshon Sellers in Wilmington. Alexander Fitzgerald, 21, of Wilmington pled guilty to Murder Second Degree, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, and Illegal Gang Participation. In February 2015, officers answering a call of shots fired found Sellers near the intersection of East 24th and Lamotte Streets suffering from gunshot wounds. Fitzgerald faces 18 years to life in prison for his crimes when sentenced in New Castle County Superior Court later this year. Deputy Attorneys General John Downs, Periann Doko, and Daniel McBride are prosecuting the case. Detective Tom Curley of the Wilmington Police Department served as lead detective. With Fitzgerald’s plea, 12 of the 13 TMG members from the same indictment have pled or been found guilty.

Ternell Henderson, 32, of Wilmington, pled guilty to Manslaughter, stemming from an August 2016 fatal collision on Pennsylvania Avenue that killed a man. Henderson was driving his vehicle over 80 m.p.h. in a 25 m.p.h. hour zone and ran multiple red lights before crashing into Brian James’ vehicle, killing James. After the collision, Henderson got into another vehicle near the scene and fled. Wilmington Police detectives established Henderson as a suspect after interviewing witnesses and collecting items from the vehicle left at the scene linked to him. Henderson will be declared a habitual offender at the time of sentencing in October because of previous drug and weapons convictions in 2010, 2007 and 2006. Deputy Attorneys General Danielle Brennan and William Leonard secured the guilty plea.

A 34-year-old man living in New Jersey was sentenced to 5 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of Sexual Solicitation of a Child. An investigation by the Delaware Child Predator Task Force revealed Donald Beckwith traveled to Delaware to meet an underage child for a sexual encounter in February 2017 after communicating with the child online for several years. A Superior Court judge sentenced Beckwith to 5 years in prison, followed by 6 months of either home confinement or work release, then 5 years of probation. Beckwith must also register as a Tier II sex offender.

Deputy Attorneys General Brian Robertson and Rebecca Song secured a guilty plea for Manslaughter and Possession of a Deadly Weapon During the Commission of a Felony from a 29-year-old New Castle man for the December 2016 fatal stabbing. Chaz Collazo stabbed Smith in the neck on Market Street in Wilmington and fled the scene. Collazo faces sentencing by a Superior Court judge in September and faces between 4 and 50 years in prison. Special Investigator Brian Daly and Paralegal Jamie Prater assisted in the prosecution.

A 41-year-old Smyrna man faces 2 to 28 years in prison and will have to register as a Tier II sex offender after pleading guilty to Dealing in Child Pornography and Unlawful Sexual Content Second Degree. Between January and February 2018, former First State Military Academy instructor Troy McQueen made unlawful sexual contact with a cadet on school property in Clayton and had nude photographs of the cadet on his cellphone. A Kent County Superior Court judge will sentence McQueen on August 28, 2018. Deputy Attorney General Kathleen Dickerson secured the plea and Lorraine Freese assisted with the case.

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Wilmington Gang Member Faces Prison for 2015 Murder

Criminal Division | Department of Justice | Department of Justice Press Releases | Date Posted: Friday, June 29, 2018



Other defendants to serve time for manslaughter, sexual solicitation, and child pornography charges

A member of the Touch Money Gang (TMG) indicted in 2015 for a lengthy list of shootings, murders, and other crimes pled guilty to the February 2015 murder of 17-year-old Deshon Sellers in Wilmington. Alexander Fitzgerald, 21, of Wilmington pled guilty to Murder Second Degree, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, and Illegal Gang Participation. In February 2015, officers answering a call of shots fired found Sellers near the intersection of East 24th and Lamotte Streets suffering from gunshot wounds. Fitzgerald faces 18 years to life in prison for his crimes when sentenced in New Castle County Superior Court later this year. Deputy Attorneys General John Downs, Periann Doko, and Daniel McBride are prosecuting the case. Detective Tom Curley of the Wilmington Police Department served as lead detective. With Fitzgerald’s plea, 12 of the 13 TMG members from the same indictment have pled or been found guilty.

Ternell Henderson, 32, of Wilmington, pled guilty to Manslaughter, stemming from an August 2016 fatal collision on Pennsylvania Avenue that killed a man. Henderson was driving his vehicle over 80 m.p.h. in a 25 m.p.h. hour zone and ran multiple red lights before crashing into Brian James’ vehicle, killing James. After the collision, Henderson got into another vehicle near the scene and fled. Wilmington Police detectives established Henderson as a suspect after interviewing witnesses and collecting items from the vehicle left at the scene linked to him. Henderson will be declared a habitual offender at the time of sentencing in October because of previous drug and weapons convictions in 2010, 2007 and 2006. Deputy Attorneys General Danielle Brennan and William Leonard secured the guilty plea.

A 34-year-old man living in New Jersey was sentenced to 5 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of Sexual Solicitation of a Child. An investigation by the Delaware Child Predator Task Force revealed Donald Beckwith traveled to Delaware to meet an underage child for a sexual encounter in February 2017 after communicating with the child online for several years. A Superior Court judge sentenced Beckwith to 5 years in prison, followed by 6 months of either home confinement or work release, then 5 years of probation. Beckwith must also register as a Tier II sex offender.

Deputy Attorneys General Brian Robertson and Rebecca Song secured a guilty plea for Manslaughter and Possession of a Deadly Weapon During the Commission of a Felony from a 29-year-old New Castle man for the December 2016 fatal stabbing. Chaz Collazo stabbed Smith in the neck on Market Street in Wilmington and fled the scene. Collazo faces sentencing by a Superior Court judge in September and faces between 4 and 50 years in prison. Special Investigator Brian Daly and Paralegal Jamie Prater assisted in the prosecution.

A 41-year-old Smyrna man faces 2 to 28 years in prison and will have to register as a Tier II sex offender after pleading guilty to Dealing in Child Pornography and Unlawful Sexual Content Second Degree. Between January and February 2018, former First State Military Academy instructor Troy McQueen made unlawful sexual contact with a cadet on school property in Clayton and had nude photographs of the cadet on his cellphone. A Kent County Superior Court judge will sentence McQueen on August 28, 2018. Deputy Attorney General Kathleen Dickerson secured the plea and Lorraine Freese assisted with the case.

image_printPrint

Related Topics:  , , ,


Graphic that represents delaware news on a mobile phone

Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.

Here you can subscribe to future news updates.