Shooting and daycare assault cases also lead to prison time

The woman who lured a 21-year-old Dover man into what was supposed to be a robbery has pled guilty to her role in his murder. Lisa Wagaman, 31, of Dover, pled guilty to Murder Second Degree and Conspiracy Second Degree for the 2017 killing of Daquan Dukes. In June 2017, Wagaman told Dukes she needed a ride to the Pine Grove Apartments on Webbs Lane in Dover. Once in the parking lot, her co-defendant Brett Scott approached the car and exchanged gunfire with Dukes. Scott was shot in the chest, hand, and foot, and Dukes was fatally shot in the chest. After Wagaman pled guilty, a Superior Court judge immediately sentenced Wagaman to 15 years in prison, followed by 6 months of either home confinement or work release, then 1 year of probation. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Whitelock prosecuted the case with assistance from paralegal Sue Balik, administrative assistant Amanda Balke, and social worker Esther Powell. In July, a jury convicted Scott of Murder Second Degree, Attempted Robbery First Degree, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony and Conspiracy Second Degree, and he was sentenced by a judge to 26 years in prison, followed by 1 year of work release then 1 year of probation.

A 29-year-old Wilmington woman was sentenced to life plus 9 years in prison for a 2017 murder. Deputy Attorneys General John Downs and Rebecca Song secured the verdict for Deneisha Wright. In January 2017, Wilmington Police responded to a report of shots fired on North Lamotte Street and found 66-year-old Charles May sitting in his pickup truck suffering from gunshot wounds. An investigation showed Wright walked up to the truck, pointed the gun at May and attempted to rob him of pills and money. When May resisted, Wright fired several shots, hitting May twice. In May 2018, a Superior Court jury convicted Wright of Murder First Degree, Attempted Robbery First Degree, and 2 counts of Possession of a Deadly Weapon During the Commission of a Felony. Wright was also convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited in a separate bench trial. A Superior Court judge sentenced Wright to life plus 9 years in prison. DOJ paralegal Stacey Coupe, social worker Crystal Pitts, and tech specialist Theodore Griffin all assisted with the prosecution. Sergeant Justin Kreysa of the Wilmington Police Department was the chief investigating officer.

A shooting in the parking lot of a Newark restaurant will lead to at least 15 years in prison for a Wilmington man. Deputy Attorney General William Leonard secured a guilty plea from Thomas Ellerbe, 41, to Assault Second Degree, Conspiracy Second Degree, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, and Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited. In July 2017, Ellerbe and another man emerged from the bushes in the parking lot of the Applebee’s restaurant on Elkton Road in Newark as the manager left for the evening. When the manager refused to take the two men into the restaurant, Ellerbe shot the victim in the leg and stole a power drill he had with him. Ellerbe, barred from having a firearm because of previous felony convictions on Robbery and Burglary charges, faces at least 15 years in prison. Ellerbe also faces up to 10 years in prison for violating his parole in Maryland. Ellerbe’s co-defendant, James Brooks, pled guilty in August to Robbery Second Degree, Conspiracy Second Degree, and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, and was sentenced by a judge to 7 years in prison, followed by 6 months of either home confinement or work release, then 1 year of probation. Detective Daniel Bystricky of the Newark Police Department was the chief investigating officer. DOJ paralegal Donna Lee and social worker Kristen Fluharty-Emory assisted with the prosecution.

A 33-year-old former daycare provider was sentenced to 18 months in prison for breaking the leg of an infant. Deputy Attorney General Jan van Amerongen secured the sentence for Amber Worthy of New Castle. In September 2017, while working at the Happy Kids Academy on Old Baltimore Pike in Newark, Worthy aggressively moved an 11-month-old in her care and caused a spiral fracture to the child’s tibia. In July, Deputy Attorney General Diana Dunn secured a guilty plea from Worthy to Assault Second Degree. A Superior Court judge sentenced Worthy to 18 months in prison, followed by 6 months of either home confinement or work release, then 18 months of probation. Social worker Bettina Jones assisted on the case.

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