Convictions, Sentences For Weapons, Assault, Robbery, Child Pornography

A 41-year-old Wilmington man faces at least 6 years in prison after pleading guilty to weapons charges. Deputy Attorney General Allison Abessinio secured the plea from Robert Johnson. During a fight in September 2016, Johnson stabbed 57-year-old Carl Huggins multiple times in his home in the 400 block of North Church Street in Wilmington. The two had argued earlier in the day. Johnson pled guilty to Assault First Degree and two counts of Possession of a Deadly Weapon During the Commission of a Felony. A Superior Court judge will sentence Johnson in December and faces 6 to 75 years.

Deputy Attorneys General Anna Currier, Barzilai Axelrod, and William Leonard secured a guilty plea from John Trotter, 42, of Wilmington, after his arrest following an investigation into heroin sales. Paralegal Bridgitt Martin assisted in the case as well. In August 2016, police arrested Trotter when a New Castle County Police SWAT team executed a search warrant at his home in the 200 block of Clyde Street in Wilmington. Earlier that summer, police observed Trotter sell heroin to an informant. Trotter pled guilty to Drug Dealing Tier 4 Heroin, Conspiracy Second Degree, and Possession of a Destructive Weapon. Trotter also pled guilty to Assault Second Degree for a July 2016 arrest for punching his girlfriend during an argument. Social Worker Stacey Murphy assisted with the July 2016 case. Trotter faces between 2 and 40 years when sentenced by a Superior Court judge in December.

Deputy Attorney General Anna Currier secured a prison sentence for a Wilmington man for his plea to robbery and weapons charges. Throughout the summer of 2016, Michael Watson, 29, stole several firearms from his father. In September of that year, Watson robbed the Valero gas station in the 800 block of South Dupont Highway in New Castle, threatening the clerk with a knife. Deputy Attorney General Kelly Sheridan secured a guilty plea from Watson in Superior Court in August 2017 to Robbery First Degree, Possession of a Deadly Weapon During the Commission of a Felony, Robbery Second Degree and Theft of a Firearm. A judge sentenced Watson to 5 years in prison, followed by 6 months of either work release or home confinement, then 2 ½ years of probation.

A 50-year-old Smyrna man was sentenced to prison and must register as a Tier II sex offender in relation to child pornography charges. In February 2017, members of the Child Predator Task Force conducted a search warrant at Michael Dennis’s home, and found images of children involved in prohibited sexual acts as defined by Delaware law. Dennis pled guilty in August to 2 counts of Dealing in Child Pornography and 2 counts of Possession of Child Pornography. A Superior Court judge sentenced Dennis to serve 6 years in prison, followed by 3 years of probation.


50 Attorneys General Reach $120 Million Settlement With General Motors Over Defective Ignition Switch

General Motors Company (“GM”) and 50 attorneys general, including Delaware, have settled allegations GM concealed safety issues related to ignition-switch-related defects in GM vehicles, resulting in changes to the way the company represents cars to be “safe” as well as payments to the states.

General Motors Company (“GM”) and 50 attorneys general, including Delaware, have settled allegations GM concealed safety issues related to ignition-switch-related defects in GM vehicles, resulting in changes to the way the company represents cars to be “safe” as well as payments to the states. The settlement, reached between the attorneys general of 49 states and the District of Columbia, and GM concludes a multistate investigation into the auto manufacturer’s failure to timely disclose known safety defects associated with unintended key- rotation-related and/or ignition-switch-related issues in several models and model years of GM vehicles.

In 2014, GM issued seven vehicle recalls in response to unintended key-rotation-related and/or ignition-switch-related issues, which have affected over 9 million vehicles in the U.S. The recalls involved a defective ignition switch that, under certain conditions, could move out of the “Run” position to the “Accessory” or “Off” position. If this occurs, the driver experiences a loss of electrical systems, including power steering and power brakes.  If a collision occurs while the ignition switch is in the “Accessory” or “Off” position, the vehicle’s safety airbags may also fail to deploy, increasing the risk of serious injury or death in certain types of crashes in which the airbag was otherwise designed to deploy.

As the states alleged, certain employees of GM and General Motors Corporation (which went through bankruptcy in 2009), knew as early as 2004 that the ignition switch posed a safety defect because it could cause airbag non-deployment. However, despite this knowledge, GM personnel decided it wasn’t a safety concern and delayed making recalls. GM continued to market the reliability and safety of its motor vehicles that were equipped with this defective ignition switch.

The states alleged that these actions were unfair and deceptive and that the automaker’s actions violated state consumer protection laws, including Delaware’s Consumer Fraud statute.

Under a Cease and Desist Order by Agreement, GM shall:

  • Not represent that a motor vehicle is “safe” unless they have complied with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety standards applicable to the motor vehicle at issue.
  • Not represent that certified pre-owned vehicles that GM advertises are safe, have been repaired for safety issues, or have been subject to rigorous inspection, unless such vehicles are not subject to any open recalls relating to safety or have been repaired pursuant to such a recall.
  • Instruct its dealers that all applicable recall repairs must be completed before any GM motor vehicle sold in the U.S. and included in a recall is eligible for certification and, if there is a recall on any certified pre-owned vehicle sold in the U.S., the required repair must be completed before the vehicle is delivered to a customer.

Delaware will receive $1.12 million as part of the settlement with GM, which will go into the Consumer Protection Fund, which pays for the Attorney General’s work on consumer fraud and deceptive trade practice matters and other consumer-oriented investigations and legal actions. The total amount of money paid to the states as part of the settlement is $120 million.

Deputy Attorney General Stephen McDonald led Delaware’s efforts in this investigation.


Armed Robber Faces 25 Years in Prison

Other defendants face prison time for assault and escape charges

Deputy Attorneys General Kelly Sheridan and Jamie McCloskey secured a guilty plea from a 30-year-old Middletown man for robbery and weapons charges. From 2016 to 2017, police believe Brandon Dixon and an accomplice robbed multiple businesses throughout New Castle County armed with guns. Dixon pled guilty to Possession of a Firearm During Commission of a Felony, two counts of Robbery Second Degree, Conspiracy Second Degree and a Violation of Probation. Dixon is facing a minimum of 25 years in prison if declared a habitual offender at the time of sentencing in December, based on previous convictions for weapon and burglary charges.

A 28-year-old Wilmington man faces a minimum of 4 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges related to an assault last year. In December 2016, Wilmington Police responded to a call regarding an assault with a tire iron at Celebrations nightclub and restaurant located on South Market Street. Video surveillance of the attack led police to Alphonso Williams. Deputy Attorney General Christina Kontis secured the plea from Alphonso Williams to Assault Second Degree and Conspiracy Second Degree. He faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 4 years in prison when sentenced in December if he is declared a habitual offender as a result of previous convictions for weapons, drug dealing and theft. Lisa Loikith, a paralegal, and Crystal Pitts, social worker, assisted Deputy Attorney General Kontis with the case.

Deputy Attorney General Matthew Bloom secured a guilty plea from a habitual offender on the charge of Escape After Conviction. Wayne L. Williams Jr., 46, escaped from the Plummer Work Release Center to travel to New Jersey and fight his former girlfriend’s boyfriend, but caused no injuries to the boyfriend. Williams has a prior conviction for Escape and multiple Robbery convictions. Sentencing in the matter was deferred.


Life in Prison for 2016 Stabbing Death in Wilmington

Other defendants face prison time for murder, weapons, and robbery charges

A 50-year-old Wilmington man will spend the rest of his life in prison for the 2016 killing of his girlfriend. Deputy Attorneys General John Downs and Periann Doko secured the plea of Guilty but Mentally Ill to Murder First Degree and Possession of a Deadly Weapon During the Commission of a Felony from Robert Smith. In February 2016, Smith stabbed 45-year-old Inga Young to death with a screwdriver in a relative’s home in the 2300 block of North Tatnall Street. A short time later, Smith, seen driving the victim’s car, led police on a high speed chase on I-95 from Newark to Wilmington, and then through the city until he crashed into a State Police vehicle in the 1500 block of Linden Street. A Superior Court judge will sentence Smith to life in prison without probation or parole for the murder, plus an additional 2 to 25 years on the weapons charge in October.

A 21-year-old Wilmington man will spend the next 35 years in prison in connection with a 2015 murder in the city. Deputy Attorneys General Brian Robertson and Daniel McBride secured the sentence for Taushia Mitchell. In July 2015, Mitchell murdered 29-year-old James Rogers of Wilmington, shooting him in the head in Rogers’s home in the 500 block of West 4th Street. Mitchell was arrested a week later while sitting in the victim’s stolen car in New York City. In June of this year, Mitchell pled guilty to Murder Second Degree and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony. A Superior Court judge sentenced Mitchell to 35 years in prison, followed by 2 years of probation. Wilmington Police Detective Brian Conkey and DOJ paralegal Jaime Prater assisted with the case.

Deputy Attorneys General Erika Flaschner and John Taylor secured a guilty plea to weapons charges for a Wilmington man involved in a shooting earlier this year. Ahmed Ifill, 32, pled guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited and Carrying a Concealed Deadly weapon. In January, Ifill fired shots into a group of people at standing at a memorial in the 300 block of New Castle Avenue, striking one man in the leg. Ifill is a habitual offender based on previous convictions for weapons and robbery charges and faces a minimum mandatory 25 years in prison when sentenced by a Superior Court judge in October.

Deputy Attorney General Kelly Sheridan secured a guilty plea from Michael Watson, 29, of Wilmington, on robbery and weapons charges. In September 2016, Watson, while wearing a disguise, demanded money at knifepoint from the cashier at the Speedy Gas station in the 1200 block of Capitol Trail in Newark. A few days later, Watson, again wearing a disguise and armed with a knife, robbed Westgate Liquors in the 4100 block of Newport Gap Pike in Hockessin. Watson pled guilty to Robbery First Degree, Possession of a Deadly Weapon During the Commission of a Felony, and Robbery Second Degree. Social worker Crystal Pitts and paralegal Julie Caputo assisted on the case. The chief investigating officer was Paul Doherty of Delaware State Police. Watson also pled guilty to Theft of a Firearm related to an incident from June 2016 during which he stole weapons from his father that he later sold. That case was prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Anna Currier. Watson faces at least 5 years in prison when sentenced by a Superior Court judge in October.

A 45-year-old Newark man was sentenced by a Superior Court judge to 15 years in prison for a series of robberies. Deputy Attorney General Christina Kontis prosecuted the case against Leo Watson, with assistance from paralegal Lisa Loikith and social worker Donna Lindsey. In early June 2016, Watson robbed the Exxon gas station in the 5300 block of Concord Pike twice in 2 days, the Dollar Tree in the 2000 block of Philadelphia Pike, and attempted to rob the Valero gas station in the 1300 block of McKennans Church Road. Watson displayed a crow bar during one of the robberies at the Exxon and a BB gun during the Dollar Tree robbery. The Court sentenced Watson to 15 years in prison, followed by 2 years of probation.


Dover Organization Ordered by Court To Stop Offering Diplomas Until It Cooperates With Investigators

DOJ Consumer Protection Unit Cautions Delawareans About Dubious Diploma Services

Following consumer complaints, an investigation by the Department of Justice Consumer Protection Unit and a lack of response to investigative demands, a state Superior Court judge has held the Bright Rock Christian Academy and its principals in contempt and ordered the organization to stop soliciting, offering, charging for, or attempting to offer or charge for diploma or education services in Delaware until such time as it complies with the investigative demands.

Bright Rock has operated under various names since approximately 2006, including:

  • Bertha E. Roach Academy
  • Bertha Roach Christian High School
  • Bertha Roach Christian School
  • Bertha Elizabeth Roach Christian School
  • B.E.R. Academy
  • B.E.R. Christian High School
  • Bright Rock Christian Academy
  • The Enlighten Center

Bright Rock’s principals include Clifton Maurice Pettyjohn, Derone L. Daniels, Ira D. Roach, III, Charmagne R. Quarles (a/k/a Reya Quarles), and Sonya Yvette Harris.

In the summer of 2016, CPU received complaints from former students of Bright Rock and its affiliates that high school diplomas obtained from those organizations were not accepted by employers or institutions of higher education.  The Consumer Protection Unit (CPU) commenced an investigation in August 2016 and served Bright Rock, its principals, and affiliates with a subpoena, which Bright Rock ignored. CPU then obtained a Civil Investigative Demand (CID) from the Superior Court in April 2017.  Bright Rock produced a deficient, incomplete and untimely response to the CID, after which CPU asked the Superior Court for relief to ensure that Bright Rock and its principals and affiliates properly comply with their efforts to further investigate the matter.

On August 4, 2017, the Superior Court issued an order finding Bright Rock, its principals, and affiliates in contempt for failing to respond properly and fully to the CID. The order enjoins Bright Rock, its principals, and affiliates from soliciting, offering, charging for, or attempting to offer or charge for diploma or education services in Delaware, suspends their corporate charter and enjoins them from organizing in any form for the purpose of rendering diploma or education services in Delaware, and assesses fines and penalties.  These injunctions and sanctions remain in place until Bright Rock, its principals and affiliates come into compliance with the CID.

This matter was handled for CPU by Assistant Director Gillian Andrews and Chief Special Investigator Alan Rachko.

Any Delawarean seeking to obtain a high school education or other education credential should be sure that the organization or institution they select is legitimate and that the degree, certification, or other credential they obtain will be accepted by the employer or educational institution they seek admission to.

The following are some tips from the DOJ Consumer Protection Unit to check the legitimacy of nonpublic K-12 education services in Delaware:

  • Research the nonpublic education organization to see what accreditations or certifications the school possess, including information provided by the U.S. Department of Education;
  • Does the nonpublic school have a physical location or is it an online learning organization—online schools will have different accreditations and standards that may not qualify its students for certain employment or higher education;
  • Inquire about the nonpublic school’s curriculum, and how academic performance is assessed and results reported—legitimate schools may have routine exams and will report a student’s performance in a consistent manner;
  • An organization or nonpublic school promising a diploma or certificate for a large fee and little, if any, actual academic performance could be a scam and are cautioned against;
  • A legitimate nonpublic school will require its students to perform academically and will have consistent means of testing that performance through routine exams or practicums;
  • Ask the organization or nonpublic school for information on their alumni status such as top employers or institutions of higher learning that their graduates have been admitted to;
  • Ask the employer or institution of higher learning you seek admission to whether a diplomas or certificate from that school will be accepted; and
  • The Delaware Department of Education does not endorse, accredit, approve or monitor curriculum for any nonpublic school, or validate any type of credential provided by those schools.

Consumers who believe they may have been scammed can contact the Attorney General’s toll-free Consumer Hotline at 1-800-220-5424 or email the Consumer Protection Unit of DOJ at consumer.protection@delaware.gov.  If the school was an online learning institution, the consumer should also file complaints with the Federal Trade Commission, www.ftc.gov.