The Delaware Department of Justice’s Office of Civil Rights & Public Trust announced Tuesday that a grand jury has indicted Dewey Beach police officer Gregory Lynch, Jr. in connection to an August 10 incident near Bellevue Road.

The DOJ alleges that police and EMTs were dispatched on August 10 to assist a victim who had lost consciousness and sustained an injury to the back of his head. The victim was able to sit on a stretcher but kept one foot on the ground and stated that he did not want to go to the hospital. As first responders and witnesses tried to convince the victim to lie down, Lynch grabbed the victim’s leg and put it on the stretcher. When the victim sat up on the stretcher, Lynch allegedly pushed him back down, climbed onto the stretcher, and repeatedly punched him in the face, causing the stretcher to rise off the ground and requiring others to hold the stretcher down to prevent it from flipping over. Officer Lynch then handcuffed the victim to the stretcher and pulled him into an ambulance by his neck. The victim was later treated at Beebe Hospital and diagnosed with a concussion, a broken nose, multiple hematomas, and lacerations to his face.

Lynch later claimed in a sworn affidavit that the victim had committed Strangulation and 2 counts of Offensive Touching of a Law Enforcement Officer, but those claims were contradicted by witness statements. Witnesses at the scene attested that the victim had put his hands up in an attempt to protect his face, but that he had not put his hands around Officer Lynch’s throat as Lynch had claimed in a sworn affidavit. Lynch is charged with Assault Second Degree, Perjury Second Degree, and Official Misconduct. Lynch turned himself in Tuesday and was released on his own recognizance.

The DOJ reminds the public that an indictment is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a jury trial at which the State bears the burden of proving each charge beyond a reasonable doubt.

Other defendants plea to drug, weapons, and robbery charges

A Superior Court judge sentenced three inmates Friday for their roles in the 2017 Vaughn prison riot, which resulted in the murder of correctional officer Lt. Steven Floyd.

• Dwayne Staats, 37, sentenced to two life sentences in prison plus 153 years for his conviction on 2 counts of Murder First Degree, Riot, 2 counts of Assault First Degree, 4 counts of Kidnapping First Degree, and Conspiracy Second Degree.
• Jarreau Ayers, 38, sentenced to 123 years for his conviction on Riot, 2 counts of Assault First Degree, and 4 counts of Kidnapping First Degree, and Conspiracy Second Degree.
• Royal Downs, 54, sentenced to 3 years for his guilty plea to Riot to be served at the conclusion on his life sentence in Maryland.

All three of the defendants were already serving terms of life in prison for previous Murder First Degree convictions.
Deputy Attorneys General John Downs, Brian Robertson, and Nichole Warner prosecuted the Vaughn trials with the support of paralegal Stacey Coupe, social workers Crystal Pitts and Donna Lindsey, investigator Willie Santiago, and administrative assistant Evelyn Davis. Sgt. David Weaver and a team Delaware State Police Homicide Unit investigators led an extensive investigation in the aftermath of the riot and were critical to securing this outcome. Attorney General Jennings released the following statement after the sentencing:
“We are grateful for the hard work that prosecutors, investigators and staff did to find those responsible for the riot and to present the strongest case that the State could under tremendously difficult circumstances. Above all else we continue to think of the Floyd family, Patricia May, Winslow Smith, Joshua Wilkinson, and the staff of the Department of Correction, all of whom have suffered incredible grief and endured a long, arduous process over the last 31 months.”

An investigation by the New Castle County Police led to a guilty plea on drug and weapons charges. In December 2018, after observing Jerome Mond, 21, of Claymont, make a drug sale in the Knollwood community, police obtained a warrant and searched Mond’s home. Officers found 56 bags containing a total of 1.768 grams of fentanyl, along with 12 small bottles containing a total of 316.4 grams of PCP. Officers also recovered 2 loaded .45-caliber handguns. Mond pleaded guilty to Drug Dealing and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony. A Superior Court judge will sentence Mond in January. Deputy Attorney General Beth Savitz prosecuted the case. Detective Nicholas Beinke of the New Castle County Police Department was the chief investigating officer.

A 41-year-old Dover man who slashed a clerk’s face while robbing a convenience store has pleaded guilty. Deputy Attorney General Marie Graham secured the plea from Kevin Wayman. In February 2019, after distracting the clerk in the 7-11 in the 400 block of South New Street in Dover by dropping a bottle and breaking it, Wayman grabbed 2 cartons of cigarettes and ran from the store. The victim confronted Wayman and during the struggle, Wayman slashed him with a knife. Wayman pleaded guilty to Robbery First Degree and Possession of a Deadly Weapon During the Commission of a Felony. A Superior Court judge immediately sentenced Wayman to 5 years in prison, followed by 6 months of either home confinement or work release, then 1 year of probation.

Robbery, weapons and drug charges lead to prison for other defendants

A Middletown man whose drunk driving led to accidents and injuries over a July weekend in Rehoboth Beach received a prison sentence in Superior Court. A judge sentenced Martin Tuohy, 45, to a total of 2 ½ years in prison, followed by a year of probation in exchange for his December 2018 no contest plea to Driving Under the Influence – Third Offense, Reckless Endangering First Degree, and 3 counts of Vehicular Assault Second Degree. While driving drunk, Tuohy fled from the scene of his first accident on Rehoboth Avenue, speeding and colliding with several parked cars before hitting a vehicle stopped at a red light. Tuohy continued driving, almost hitting several pedestrians, stopping after causing an accident that sent a family to the hospital, and then hitting a light pole. Deputy Attorney General Nichole Gannett prosecuted the case with assistance from social worker Laurel Braunstein.

A 38-year-old Middletown man faces at least 15 years in prison for robbing 2 New Castle County banks and a donut shop just over 6 years apart. Deputy Attorney General Will Raisis secured a guilty plea from Travis McNeal to 2 counts of Robbery First Degree and 1 count of Robbery Second Degree. In February 2012, McNeal robbed the Dunkin’ Donuts on Pulaski Highway in Glasgow, then later the same day robbed the PNC Bank on Kirkwood Highway near Prices Corner. Once the investigation led to McNeal, he was already in custody in Pennsylvania awaiting trial on robbery charges, and wanted for the same in Maryland. McNeal was returned to Delaware in December 2017, and while out on bail in March 2018, he robbed the Fulton Bank on Main Street in Middletown. McNeal faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years on each count when sentenced by a Superior Court judge in March. DOJ paralegal Julianne Besznyak and social worker Courtney Cochran assisted with this case.

A traffic stop in Wilmington led to a prison sentence for an illegal firearm for a 23-year-old Wilmington man. In November 2018, John Stowe was the passenger in a car pulled over by Wilmington Police. When an officer asked Stowe to step out of the car, Stowe reached into his coat pocket. The officer, who was able to remove Stowe’s hand from his pocket and take him into custody, then found a loaded 9mm handgun in the pocket of Stowe’s coat. Stowe cannot legally possess a firearm because of a 2017 conviction for Carrying a Concealed Deadly Weapon. Stowe pled guilty to Possession of a Firearm By a Person Prohibited, and was immediately sentenced by a Superior Court judge to 5 years in prison including the completion of the Key drug rehabilitation program, followed by 6 months of either home confinement or work release, then 18 months of probation. Deputy Attorney General Marc Petrucci prosecuted the case.

Deputy Attorney General Michael Cooksey secured a prison sentence for a man dealing drugs in the Edgemoor Gardens area of Wilmington. A Superior Court judge sentenced Michael Poole, 40, of Wilmington to 2 years and 5 months in prison, followed by one year of probation. In November 2017, officers approached Poole who was wanted on outstanding warrants. As officers tried to handcuff Poole, he ran, and was taken into custody after a brief chase and struggle. Officers found him in possession of crack cocaine. In July 2018, Poole was arrested after agreeing to meet an undercover police officer for a drug sale. Poole pled guilty to Drug Dealing and 1 count of Resisting Arrest, and found guilty at trial of Possession of a Controlled Substance and 1 count of Resisting Arrest.