Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced Friday that the Department of Justice charged 102 gun offenders and secured 279.5 total years in prison sentences on 67 gun convictions in the month of March.

“My first priority is combatting violent crime—particularly gun crimes,” said AG Jennings.  “Gun violence is a both a national crisis and a local one. In Delaware, guns are overwhelmingly the driving force behind violent crimes, and the strongest predictor that violent crime will turn deadly. This office has consistently prosecuted and convicted gun offenders at an extremely high rate, and we will continue to find and prosecute gun criminals and gun traffickers in every corner of this state.”

Other violent case highlights from March include:

Convictions

• State v. Aaron Garnett: Defendant was found guilty of Murder 1^st Degree, Endangering the Welfare of a Child (three counts), and Offensive Touching.  Garnett brutally beat and murdered his girlfriend, Naquita Hill, after a domestic dispute.  He then left Ms. Hill on the floor of her home and departed the residence on foot, accompanied by her young child and two of her nieces/nephews.  Someone saw Garnett offensively touch the older child at a local Wawa and called police.  Officers eventually found Ms. Hill’s body in her residence when they went to look for the children’s caregiver. Garnett will be sentenced at a later date.
• State v. David Fletcher: Defendant pleaded guilty to Murder 2^ndDegree and Possession of a Deadly Weapon During the Commission of a Felony after fatally stabbing his estranged wife after an argument. Defendant faces a minimum mandatory 17 years in prison; the State will argue for a 25-year prison sentence.
• State v. Alazhia Wilson: Defendant pleaded guilty to Manslaughter for the October 2020 killing of Tierra Herring in Wilmington. Sentencing will be held at a later date.
• State v. Pierre Carter Bailey: Defendant pleaded guilty to Gang Participation, Assault 1^st Degree, and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony and faces up to 10 years in prison.
• State v. Richard Haines: Defendant was found guilty of 77 charges connected to the sexual abuse of two young victims, including Attempted Rape 1^stDegree, Attempted Sexual Abuse of a Child by Person of Trust 1^st Degree, Rape 2^nd Degree (31 counts), Rape 4^th Degree (10 counts), Sexual Abuse of a Child by a Person of Trust 1^st Degree (5 counts), Sexual Abuse of a Child by a Person of Trust 2^nd Degree (8 counts), Unlawful Sexual Contact 1^st Degree (4 counts), Unlawful Sexual Contact 2^nd Degree (13 counts), Continuous Sexual Abuse (2 counts) and Endangering the Welfare of a Child (2 counts). Haines is pending sentencing and effectively faces multiple life sentences.
• State v. Diandre Willis: Defendant was found guilty of Stalking, Harassment, Rape 1^st Degree (two counts), Home Invasion Burglary 1^st Degree (two counts), Kidnapping 1^st Degree, Strangulation, Terroristic Threatening, Malicious Interference with Emergency Communications, Breach of Release (two counts), Act of Intimidation (two counts), Breach of Conditions During Confinement (two counts), and Bribing a Witness.  Willis faces a minimum of 34 years in prison as a result of the convictions.
• State v. Lavance Wilmore: Defendant pleaded guilty to Sexual Abuse of a Child by a Person in a Position of Trust 1^stDegree and Rape 3^rd
• State v. Korey Lackford: Defendant pleaded guilty to Strangulation and felony Breach of Release and faces open sentencing.
• State v. Jose Dominguez Medina: Defendant pleaded guilty to Strangulation and faces open sentencing.
• State v. RaeSheed DeShields: Defendant pleaded guilty to Assault 1^st Degree in a case where he accidentally shot his friend from the backseat of a car after handling the gun while impaired by drugs and alcohol.  Sentencing is deferred for the victim to provide a victim impact statement.  DeShields’ bail was revoked and he will face a minimum mandatory 2 year prison sentence.
• State v. Daniel Mopkins: Defendant pleaded guilty to one count of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony and one count of Reckless Endangering, and faces a minimum mandatory 3 year prison sentence, with a cap of 5 years.
• State v. Lamar Massas: Defendant pleaded guilty to Conspiracy 2^ndDegree, Possession of Ammunition by a Person Prohibited and Possession of a Weapon with a Removed or Obliterated Serial Number.
• State v. Daniel Gutridge: Defendant pleaded guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited and is scheduled to be sentenced in June.
• State v. Alvin Hines: Defendant was found guilty at trial of Resisting Arrest with Force, Offensive Touching of Law Enforcement, and Disorderly Conduct. Hines will be sentenced in May. Hines will also be sentenced for earlier convictions for obliterating a firearm serial number and being intoxicated with a firearm.
• State v. Patrick Foster: Defendant pleaded guilty to Aggravated Menacing after threatening a FedEx driver with a knife for blocking the roadway, then punching the driver in the face multiple times.
• State v. Lazaro Corrales: Defendant pleaded guilty to Drug Dealing Cocaine (Class C) and Conspiracy 2^nd Degree and faces open sentencing.

Sentences

• State v. Michael Scaggs: Defendant was sentenced to life plus 20 years for Rape 1^st Degree, Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child, and Sexual Solicitation of a Child.
• State v. Qymere Maddrey: Defendant was sentenced to 23 years in prison for the August 2018 murder of Phillip Chapman.
• State v. Marquis Crews-Foster: Defendant was sentenced to 15 years in prison for Manslaughter and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony in connection with the February 2020 murder of Wade Hammond
• State v. Vincente Valencia: Defendant pleaded guilty to Drug Dealing (Tier 2) and was sentenced to 15 years. Valencia’s sentence will be suspended after 9 months to facilitate a transfer to federal custody, where he faces his third illegal re-entry charge. Valencia also faces homicide charges in Panama.
• State v. Aaron Tucker: Defendant was sentenced to 10 years in prison plus probation after pleading guilty to Unlawful Sexual Contact 1^stDegree (three counts) and Breach of Bond During Commitment.
• State v.  Kevin Miller: Defendant was sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to Assault 1^st
• State v. Aristeed Brooks: Defendant pleaded guilty to Drug Dealing (two counts) and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony and was sentenced to eight years in prison.
• State v. George Robinson: Defendant pleaded guilty to Drug Dealing and Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited and was sentenced to seven years in prison.
• State v. Derek Hopkins: Defendant was sentenced to eight years in prison, suspended to six years in prison plus probation, for felony Drug Dealing, felony Failure to Stop at Command, and numerous misdemeanor and Title 21 convictions.
• State v. Desidel Juarez-Diaz: Defendant pleaded guilty to Assault 1^stDegree, Reckless Endangering 1^st Degree, and Carrying a Concealed Deadly Weapon and was sentenced to five years in prison plus probation for shooting and injuring the father of his girlfriend’s child during a custody exchange.
• State v. Eric Brooks: Defendant pleaded guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited and was sentenced to five years in prison plus probation.
• State v. Amir Brundge: Defendant was sentenced to a total of four years in prison after pleading guilty to Reckless Endangering 1^st Degree and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony in connection with an incident in which multiple rounds were fired at a house; thankfully, nobody was hit.
• State v. Akim Gordon: Defendant pleaded guilty to Drug Dealing (Tier 3) and Conspiracy 2^nd Degree and was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison plus probation.
• State v. Deandre Christopher: Defendant was sentenced to 15 months in prison for Stalking and four misdemeanor offenses.
• State v. Oumar Keita: Defendant pleaded guilty to Aggravated Menacing after pulling a knife on bus driver and threatening to kill her. Keita, who is potentially subject to deportation, had served 11 months pre-trial and will be transferred to New York.
• Sate v. Nhyjee Evans: Defendant pleaded guilty to Possession of Ammunition by a Person Prohibited and was sentenced to nine months in prison plus probation.

New charges

• State v. Estella Maldonado-Quinones and Lindsey Maldonado: Defendants were indicted on charges including Child Abuse 1^st Degree and related offenses for the torture and abuse of their child.
• State v. Brittallia Semaan: Defendant was arrested and charged after a carjacking and fatal multi-vehicle incident outside of New Castle. On March 13, Semaan carjacked a Chevrolet Trax; Semaan struggled with the vehicle’s occupants, biting and ultimately hitting one of them non-fatally with the vehicle. Shortly thereafter, Semaan struck and killed Joseph Stanavich, who was walking on the shoulder of the road, then pulled into the parking lot of the SPCA on Route 9 and struck an additional victim, causing them back and neck injuries. Semaan then continued on Route 9, colliding with a Maserati at the intersection of Route 141 and Route 273 and disabling the Chevrolet. Semaan then took a Ford Explorer from a passerby who stopped to help, driving off with another occupant still in the vehicle. The Defendant later collided with another vehicle at Route 9 and Hamburg Road before being taken into custody.

ICYMI

• Former Dover Police Officer Pleads Guilty to DUI, Official Misconduct
• Human Trafficking Unit’s First Month Yields Three Illicit Massage Parlor Shutdowns, Felony Charges
• Three Men Sentenced in Connection With Operation Rise-N-Shyne
• DOJ Convicts Kent County Man of 77 Counts Related to Sexual Abuse of Children
• DCRPT Secures Guilty Plea, Two Indictments In Board Of Pardons Cases
• DCRPT Indicts Officer for Sexual Solicitation of a Child
• DOJ Seeks Public’s Assistance in Sussex County Sexual Abuse Case

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