DOJ secures over a dozen convictions for violent gun offender following nine-month manhunt

A Wilmington man has been convicted of several felonies, including three separate counts of Attempted Murder, Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced Wednesday.  

“An extremely violent gun offender will spend the rest of his life in prison because of excellent collaboration between Wilmington PD, prosecutors, and federal law enforcement,” said Attorney General Kathy Jennings. “These cases remind us of the staggering harm that a small number of profoundly violent people can inflict on our communities. We remain committed to taking them off the streets. I’m grateful to the prosecutors and detectives who brought this case home.”  

“The pleas and conviction in this case are the result of relentless efforts on the part of our detectives, and a strong partnership with prosecutors – with a shared objective of combatting gun violence,” said Chief Wilfredo Campos. “This case involved particularly violent acts that posed a significant threat to safety of our community, and I am appreciative of everyone who was involved in holding these suspects accountable.” 

 On February 14, Bakr Dillard was convicted in connection with an April 2022 shooting incident in which Dillard and two associates fired over 15 rounds into a parked car occupied by three individuals on the corner of 7th and Monroe Streets in Wilmington. Dillard, 42, was convicted at trial of three counts of Attempted Murder 1st Degree, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, Conspiracy 1st Degree, Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited, Possession of Ammunition by a Person Prohibited, and Tampering with Physical Evidence. 

On January 22, Dillard was convicted in a separate trial of three counts of Tier 3 Drug Dealing, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited, Conspiracy 2nd Degree, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, following the discovery of a cache of weapons, drugs and distribution materials during the execution of a search warrant for an unrelated shooting case. 

Dillard’s convictions follow a manhunt that ended on January 20, when he was arrested during the execution of a search warrant by members of the Wilmington Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives after attempting evade arrest and dispose of evidence including a handgun. Police recovered over 500 grams of crack cocaine, 54 grams of heroin/fentanyl mixture, over 3.5 kilograms of marijuana, 2 additional firearms along with ammunition, and a vast amount of packaging material for distributing narcotics.  

Violent crime statewide and in Wilmington has fallen precipitously in recent years: violent crime in Delaware reached an all-time low in 2022, including a 20% reduction in shootings since 2020. In 2023, Wilmington reached a 20-year low in murders. 

Dillard is eligible to be sentenced as a habitual offender and faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 89 years. 


AG Jennings Announces Appeal Of Superior Court Voting Ruling, Vows Support For Constitutional Amendment

21,000 permanent absentee voters – overwhelmingly the sick, disabled, and military servicemembers – set to lose permanent absentee status  

56,000 Delawareans voted early in 2022’s general election

 

The Department of Justice will move to appeal a Superior Court judge’s ruling curtailing voting rights, and will support legislative efforts to pass constitutional amendments expanding and enshrining voting rights, Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced Tuesday. 

Late Friday afternoon, a Superior Court judge issued a surprise ruling both denying the State’s motion to dismiss a partisan challenge to Delaware’s early voting law, and issuing an unsolicited judgment striking down early voting and the state’s 14-year-old permanent absentee voter law. The permanent absentee statute passed the General Assembly unanimously, including with the support of then-Rep. Gerald Hocker, the plaintiff in the Superior Court case. 

“We respectfully but fundamentally disagree with this ruling and will appeal,” said AG Jennings. “No idea that requires silence to survive has any place in a democracy. But that is precisely the fight we’re having: in statehouses and courthouses alike, extremists are trying to empower losing ideas by eroding the right to vote itself.” 

AG Jennings also urged lawmakers to support efforts to expand voting rights through constitutional amendments, beginning with Senate Bill 3, sponsored by Sen. Darius Brown. 

In the last election, 56,000 Delawareans used early voting and roughly 21,000 — including veterans, the disabled, and caregivers — used permanent absentee ballots. If it withstands appeal, Friday’s ruling would impact all of them in the November general election. The ruling does not impact the April 2 presidential primary.  

“Regardless of your party, where you live, or how you vote, you deserve every chance to exercise that right. Whether you voted for me or not, this is your right and I will never stop fighting for it. 

Read the Attorney General’s full remarks as prepared for delivery here.  Video of the comments is available here.


DOJ secures guilty pleas, prison time in fatal shooting case

Two people have pleaded guilty in relation to the assault and fatal shooting of 19-year-old Za’Quan Blackwell. On February 2, Ah’Kee Flonnory of Wilmington pleaded guilty to Manslaughter, and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony; Armani Rogers, 20, of New Castle pleaded guilty to Assault 2nd Degree. 

“This was a tragic loss and yet another reminder of what is at stake in the fight against gun violence,” said Attorney General Kathy Jennings. “The victim was robbed from his family and community by a senseless act of violence. I am grateful to our team and the Wilmington Police Department for their outstanding work on this case. I hope it will bring some comfort to the family as they grieve and heal.” 

“The outcome of this investigation reflects the hard work of our detectives, as well as our relentless efforts to deliver justice on behalf of victims of crime,” said Chief Wilfredo Campos. “We will continue our efforts to hold offenders like these accountable for their actions.” 

On September 14, 2022, Flonnory drove Rogers to exchange custody of a child that she shared with Blackwell when an argument ensued. Rogers sprayed Blackwell with pepper spray before returning to the vehicle. Blackwell approached the driver’s side of the vehicle and began talking with Flonnory, who then extended a handgun out of the window and shot Blackwell twice. Blackwell was taken to Christiana Hospital where he died of his wounds. 

Flonnory will be sentenced by a Superior Court judge at a date to be determined. Rogers was sentenced to eight years in prison, suspended for one year of probation. 


Children’s pastor arrested on child pornography charges

A Seaford pastor has been arrested and charged with 10 felony counts of Dealing in Child Pornography, Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced Thursday. 

James R. Dryden, 74, was arrested February 15 following an Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) investigation led by the Delaware Department of Justice and Delaware State Police. ICAC’s investigation was spurred by multiple CyberTips generated by Microsoft warning that Dryden’s IP address had accessed and downloaded child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Upon receiving the CyberTips, detectives from the Delaware State Police and investigators from the Department of Justice contacted Dryden at his home and, following a forensic examination of his personal devices, discovered additional CSAM.  

“The evidence in this investigation is deeply disturbing,” said Attorney General Jennings. “Nothing is more important than protecting our kids, and I’m grateful for the members of the ICAC Task Force who dedicate their lives to keeping our most vulnerable citizens safe.” 

Dryden has been a children’s pastor with Stein Highway Church of God for more than 20 years. He is not charged with contacting a child, and investigators are not currently aware of any victims affiliated with the church; however, given the nature of Dryden’s work and the fact that it brought him into regular contact with children, the State is seeking any information the public may have about this case. Anyone with information should contact the Delaware ICAC Task Force at (302) 739-2030. 

Dryden was arraigned and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on $500,000 cash bail. The DOJ and DSP remind the public that the charges in this case are allegations, and that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.   


DOJ secures felony conviction in first of several cases related to abuses of the 2022 Delaware Relief Rebate Program 

The Delaware Department of Justice secured a felony conviction in the first of several pending cases stemming from an ongoing investigation by the Delaware Division of Revenue and the Department of Justice into fraud related to the 2022 Delaware Relief Rebate Program. That program provided Delaware residents with a one-time $300.00 check and was intended to provide relief to Delaware families for rising costs after the COVID pandemic.

On December 18, 2023, Chris Maldonado, 35, of New Castle pleaded guilty to one count of Forgery 2nd degree in New Castle County Superior Court. As part of the plea agreement, he was sentenced to two years of incarceration, which was suspended for six months of probation. Also as part of the plea agreement, Maldonado pled guilty to one count of Carrying a Concealed Dangerous Instrument, graded as a Class A Misdemeanor, which stemmed from an unrelated incident.

“My office takes attempts to scam taxpayer dollars very seriously,” said Attorney General Kathy Jennings. “Anyone who thinks it doesn’t matter or they won’t get caught is on notice. My office is prepared to investigate and prosecute these cases, and we will bring you to justice.”

In May of 2022, Maldonado remotely deposited his valid $300.00 Relief Rebate check. Then, in August of 2022, Maldonado altered the same check to a higher dollar amount and remotely deposited the altered check. The bank ultimately rejected the altered check and no taxpayer funds were lost as a result of Maldonado’s fraud.

The Delaware Division of Revenue and the Delaware Department of Justice’s ongoing investigation into fraud related to the 2022 Relief Rebate Program includes cases where taxpayer funds were ultimately lost due to criminal conduct. The investigation also includes numerous ongoing matters including forged and altered checks, stolen checks and fabricated checks.

Anyone with information pertaining to fraud related to the 2022 Delaware Relief Rebate Program is asked to contact Special Investigator David M. Smith of the Delaware Division of Revenue Criminal Investigation Unit at (302) 577-8958.