OMB gang member pleads guilty; other defendants face prison on drug, weapons, manslaughter, and fraud charges.

A 67-year-old Wilmington man could be sentenced to life in prison for the rape of a child that occurred in 2000. Deputy Attorney General Kelly Sheridan secured no contest plea from Santos Viruet to Rape First Degree. In January 2017, a woman called police to say Viruet had sexually assaulted a child in his care years earlier, prompting an investigation. Viruet faces between 15 years and life in prison when sentenced by a Superior Court judge in February 2019. Officers from the Wilmington Police Department investigated the case, with DOJ social worker Claudia Melton assisting with the prosecution.

A 20-year-old Only My Brothers (OMB) gang member will serve a prison term after a guilty plea. Oliver Henry of Dover pled guilty to four counts of Criminal Contempt in connection with gang activity. In March through June of 2018, Henry met with other OMB members at various locations in and around the City of Wilmington, despite being ordered not to have any contact with his codefendants from a 2015 case in which he pleaded guilty to Illegal Gang participation and Conspiracy Second Degree, and in his subsequent sentences for violations of probation. A Superior Court judge sentenced Henry to 360 days straight jail with no good time credit or suspension for each count, followed by one year of probation. Deputy Attorney General Mark Denney prosecuted the case, along with Deputy Attorneys General Albert J. Roop and Allison Abessinio.

A 36-year-old Newport man faces at least 15 years in prison on drug and weapons charges. Deputy Attorneys General Zachary Rosen and Anna Currier secured a guilty plea from Johnny Dorazio to Drug Dealing of Heroin, Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited, and Resisting Arrest. In January 2018, police executing a search warrant in the home where Dorazio was staying in the 200 block of West Ayre Street found approximately 200 bags of heroin and a .45 caliber handgun. Dorazio is barred from having a gun because of previous felony convictions on weapons and carjacking charges. Sentencing by a Superior Court judge is currently scheduled for February, with Dorazio facing a minimum 15 years in prison. DOJ paralegal Meredith Parkinson assisted with the case.

A 2016 fatal car crash led to a prison sentence for a Wilmington man. Deputy Attorneys General Danielle Brennan and William Leonard secured the sentence for Ternell Henderson, 33. In August 2016, Henderson was driving his vehicle over 80 m.p.h. in a 25 m.p.h. hour zone along Pennsylvania Avenue in Wilmington, 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. Henderson pled guilty to Manslaughter in June 2018. He was sentenced by a Superior Court judge to 12 years and 6 months in prison, followed by 6 months of home confinement, then 2 years of probation. Tavis Miller and James Peiffer of the Wilmington Police Department were the detectives on the case, and DOJ social worker Kristen Fluharty-Emory assisted with the prosecution.

A contractor who took a down payment from a client then never returned to do the paid-for work was sentenced in Superior Court. Deputy Attorney General Michael Undorf of the DOJ Consumer Protection Unit secured the sentence for John Carpenter III, 48, of Wilmington. In September 2016, Carpenter took a $1,800 deposit from a woman in the Sparrow Run neighborhood for home improvements, including roof and gutter reinstallations. Carpenter cashed the check the same day but never made the repairs. In May 2018, Carpenter pled guilty to felony Home Improvement Fraud. A Superior Court judge sentenced Carpenter to one year of probation, and ordered any advances or deposits received, directly or indirectly, for any future home improvement contracts shall be used solely to purchase materials for the job. Carpenter paid full restitution to multiple victims as part of the plea deal. The case was prosecuted with the assistance of DOJ special investigator Robert Schreiber, and officers from the Delaware State Police and New Castle County Police Department.

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