Rape of Teen, Illegal Weapon In Prison Also Lead To Prison Sentences
A Superior Court judge sentenced a 36-year-old Wilmington man to 12 years in prison followed by probation for a robbery and burglary spree of convenience and cigarette stores. Deputy Attorney General Kelly Sheridan secured the guilty plea and prison sentence from Brandon Brown for Aggravated Menacing, Robbery 2nd Degree, two counts of Burglary 3rd Degree, Conspiracy 2nd Degree, and Wearing a Disguise During the Commission of a Felony. In early 2017, Brown stole thousands of dollars’ worth of cigarettes and other items from several convenience stores throughout New Castle County. Due to previous felony convictions on drug and weapons charges, Brown was sentenced as a habitual offender. DOJ paralegal Julie Caputo and social worker Crystal Pitts worked on the case, and Delaware State Police Detective Christian Hevelow was the chief investigator.
A Wilmington man faces at least 3 years in prison after pleading guilty to Robbery 1st Degree for a bank robbery. In November 2017, Joseph Perkins, 24, entered Fulton Bank on Kirkwood Highway, disguised as a woman, and handed a teller a note demanding money and threatening to kill her coworkers if she did not comply with his demands. Deputy Attorney General Nichole Warner, Paralegal Julie Caputo, and Social Worker Kristen Fluharty worked on the case. Perkins also pled guilty at the same time to a separate burglary charge for vehicle break-ins. Sentencing by a Superior Court judge is scheduled for August 31, 2018.
Deputy Attorney General Amanda DiLiberto secured a guilty plea from a 31-year-old Wilmington man on Promoting Prison Contraband and Possession of a Deadly Weapon by a Person Prohibited. In 2017, prison guards found Eric Holmes in possession of a “shank” during a strip search while incarcerated at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna for a prior weapons offense. As part of the plea, Holmes agreed that he is eligible to be sentenced as a habitual offender because of previous convictions for assault and weapons charges. Holmes faces at least 3 additional years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for July 20, 2018 by a Superior Court judge. Paralegal Julie Caputo and Administrative Assistant Terri Antonio assisted with the case.
A 22-year-old man pled guilty to two counts of Rape 4th Degree and one count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child and was sentenced by a Kent County Superior Court judge to one year in prison followed by probation. In late 2017, Zepplin Ray Taylor-McGinness, then 21 years old, was harboring a 14-year-old runaway he met online and had sex with her while she stayed with him in Dover. Deputy Attorney General Kathleen Dickerson prosecuted this case.