Also: Guilty Plea To Manslaughter In Child Death; Gun and Drug Charges Lead To Prison Sentences

A member of the Touch Money Gang convicted of two Wilmington murders was sentenced to two life terms in prison plus 35 years, and two other members of TMG guilty in city deaths were sentenced Friday to lengthy prison terms as well.

John Brisco, 19, of Wilmington was found guilty by a jury in March 2017 of two counts of Murder First Degree, three counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited, three counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, three counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Juvenile, Possession of Ammunition By a Person Prohibited, Gang Participation, Attempted Robbery First Degree, Conspiracy First Degree, and Conspiracy Second Degree. In January 2015, Brisco shot William Rollins, Jr. multiple times near the intersection of West 21st and North Washington Streets in Wilmington. Brisco also shot and killed Ioannis Kostikidis, a security guard at the American Beauty School, during a robbery attempt at 6th and Tatnall Streets on February 6, 2013. On Friday, Brisco was sentenced by a Superior Court judge to two life terms on the two murder counts, and an additional total of 35 years for the other charges.

Daymere Wisher, 18, of New Castle, pled guilty in February 2017 to Murder Second Degree in the shooting death of Jason Turner during an attempted robbery on Pine Street in June 2014, as well as Manslaughter, Attempted Robbery First Degree and Conspiracy Second Degree in the death of Mr. Kostikidis. Wisher was sentenced Friday to a total of 25 years in prison.

Raymire Briscoe, 17, of Wilmington pled guilty in February 2017 of Manslaughter in the death of Dwayne Brown, who was shot and killed in the area of 10th and Kirkwood Streets in Wilmington on May 8, 2014. Briscoe was also convicted of Gang Participation, Conspiracy First Degree, Reckless Endangering First Degree and Possession of a Firearm During Commission of a Felony for a shooting in the area of 5th and Delamore streets in Wilmington in May 2015. On Friday, Briscoe was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

The Delaware Department of Justice, Wilmington Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation that led to the 91-count indictment against TMG gang members by a grand jury in August 2015. The investigation also involved the Delaware State Police, New Castle County Police, Juvenile Probation, New Castle City Police, Department of Corrections, Elsmere Police, Federal Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and U.S. Marshal Service.

Sgt. Randy Nowell, Sgt. Mike Gifford, Det. Chris Flaherty, Det. Tom Curley and Det. Marty Lenhardt of Wilmington Police led the TMG investigations for WPD and the cases were prosecuted by Deputy Attorneys General John Downs, Dan McBride and Periann Doko along with Jaime Prater and Bill Moran of DOJ staff.

In other recent cases:

A 40-year-old Wilmington woman faces up to 25 years in prison after pleading no contest to Manslaughter. Deputy Attorney General Diana Dunn secured the plea from Latoya Tomlin in connection with the death of an infant in her care. In July 2014, the victim, a 15 month old child, who attended day care in Tomlin’s home in the 300 block of South Claymont Street, was found unresponsive after being in her care for the day. The child died as a result of blunt force head trauma, anoxic brain injury, and subdural hemorrhage the next day. A Superior Court judge will sentence Tomlin in September.

Deputy Attorneys General Erika Flaschner and Zachary Rosen secured a 120-year prison sentence for a Wilmington man convicted by a Superior Court jury in May on drug and weapons charges. Jurors found Marzette King, 38, guilty of Drug Dealing, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, three counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, three counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited, and one count of Possession of Ammunition by a Person Prohibited. Acting on a tip in June 2016, police executed a search warrant in King’s home in the 200 block of West 22nd Street. Officers found 2 loaded 9mm handguns, a semi-automatic rifle, and over 70 grams of marijuana. Previous violent felony convictions on drug, burglary, and robbery charges make King prohibited from having guns. As a result of King being declared a habitual offender, a Superior Court judge sentenced King to the minimum mandatory 120 years in prison, followed by 2 years of probation.

A Superior Court jury convicted Franklin Wright, 38, of New Castle on several drug and weapons charges. Prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Zachary Rosen, Wright was found guilty of Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited, Possession of Ammunition by a Person Prohibited, Carrying a Concealed Deadly Weapon, Possession of Heroin with an Aggravating Factor, Possession of Cocaine with an Aggravating Factor, Possession of Marijuana with an Aggravating Factor, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Failure to Use a Turn Signal. In July 2016, a Newport Police Officer stopped Wright’s car after he failed to use a turn signal when pulling onto Route 141. The officer searched the car after smelling marijuana, and found crack cocaine, heroin, marijuana, a .22-caliber handgun, and ammunition. Due to his previous convictions on weapons charges, Wright faces a minimum mandatory 23 years in prison as a habitual offender when sentenced in September.

A 25-year old Wilmington man will spend 15 years in prison followed by 1 year of probation after being sentenced by a Superior Court judge for his conviction on a weapons charge that led to him being declared a habitual offender. Deputy Attorney General Mark Denney secured the sentence for Darry Carter, who pled guilty in May to Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited and Resisting Arrest. Police conducting surveillance due to a high level of gun violence saw Carter showing characteristics of an armed gunman in the 100 block of South Franklin Street in May 2016, before fleeing from police and discarding a loaded firearm on a garage roof near South Harrison Street. Carter cannot possess firearms because of previous felony convictions on weapons and drug charges.

Other defendants sentenced to prison for drug, rape and burglary charges

A total of 26 members of the Only My Brothers (OMB) gang have now pled guilty to charges included in the 2016 indictment related to the activities of OMB after 2 more members entered pleas and were sentenced in Superior Court. The charges represent the first adult felony convictions for both defendants.

• Aaron Watson, 17, of Chester, PA pled guilty to Carrying a Concealed Deadly Weapon and Conspiracy Second Degree. A Superior Court judge sentenced Watson to 2 years of probation. Deputy Attorney General Ryan Bounds prosecuted the case.
• Kyaire Henry, 18, of Wilmington pled guilty to Gang Participation, Conspiracy Second Degree, and Carrying a Concealed Deadly Weapon. A judge sentenced Henry to 1 year in prison, followed by 6 months of either home confinement or work release then 18 months of probation. Deputy Attorney General Mark Denney prosecuted the case against Henry.

A 28-year-old Wilmington man will spend more than 4 years in prison for his role in a money laundering and drug operation. Christian Cortes was a courier in the “Operation Duck Hunt” case that resulted in the seizure of a kilogram of heroin and $130,000. A Superior Court Judge sentenced Cortes for his March 2017 guilty plea to Drug Dealing (Tier 4 Heroin), Money Laundering, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, to a total of 4 years and 90 days in prison, followed by 18 months of probation. Deputy Attorney General Rebecca Anderson prosecuted the case.

A 34-year-old Millsboro man will spend 11 years in prison for the rape of a young child in his care. During the summer of 2016, Gabriel Vargas-Rivera sexually assaulted the child, who was under the age of 12, on numerous occasions. Deputy Attorney General Casey Ewart secured a guilty plea from Vargas-Rivera to 4 counts of Rape Third Degree. A Superior Court judge sentenced Vargas-Rivera to 11 years in prison and the Transitions Sex Offender Treatment Program, followed by 6 months of home confinement, then 10 years of probation. Vargas-Rivera must also register as a Tier III sex offender and have no contact with the victim or anyone under the age of 18.

Deputy Attorney General Matthew Bloom secured a prison sentence for Nicholas Porter, 35, of New Castle, for breaking into multiple cars, stealing one, and then leaving the scene of an accident. In March 2016, Porter broke into multiple cars in the parking lot of the Village of Canterbury Apartments. He stole and crashed one of those cars, a 2006 Chrysler Sebring, into the back of a UPS tractor-trailer on I-95 before fleeing the scene of the accident. In May, a Superior Court jury convicted Porter of several criminal and traffic violations. In June, the court declared Porter a habitual offender based on his prior felony convictions, including a previous burglary. A judge sentenced Porter on two counts of Burglary Third Degree and one count each of Theft of a Motor Vehicle, Driving While Revoked, Careless Driving, and Leaving the Scene of an Accident to 6 years in prison, followed by 6 months of either home confinement or work release, then 18 months of supervised probation.

Other defendants face prison time on drug, weapons, and rape charges.

A total of 23 members of the Only My Brothers (OMB) gang have now pled guilty to charges included in the 2016 indictment related to the activities of OMB after 3 more members entered pleas and were sentenced in Superior Court. All of the charges represent the first adult felony convictions for all three of the defendants. Deputy Attorneys General Mark Denney, Cynthia Hurlock, and AJ Roop are prosecuting the OMB gang indictment.

• Shaka Dorsey, 18, of Wilmington pled guilty to Gang Participation, Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited, Assault First Degree. A judge sentenced Dorsey to 3 years in prison, followed by 6 months of either home confinement or work release, then 18 months of probation. Dorsey is prohibited from having a gun because of juvenile adjudications including burglary and conspiracy. Dorsey has a pending rape charge in connection to a 2016 incident.
• Jovan Martin, 18, of Wilmington pled guilty to Illegal Gang Participation and Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited. Martin, barred from having a gun because of juvenile adjudications for Carrying a Concealed Deadly Weapon and Receiving Stolen Property, was sentenced by a judge to 9 months in prison, followed by 6 months of either home confinement or work release, then one year of probation.
• Artie Pratt, 19, of Wilmington pled guilty to Illegal Gang Participation and Conspiracy Second Degree. A judge sentenced Pratt to one year of probation.

A member of the Touch Money Gang (TMG) pled guilty in Superior Court to charges related to a shooting in Wilmington. Deputy Attorneys General John Downs, Dan McBride and Periann Doko secured the plea from 21-year-old Aquantay Garner of Newark to Illegal Gang Participation, Assault Second Degree, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, and Reckless Endangering First Degree. In February 2015, Garner walked up to a van parked in the 800 block of Kirkwood Street in Wilmington in which the victim was sitting and fired four shots into the vehicle. Garner will be sentenced by a judge in July.

A 38-year-old Wilmington man will face at least 120 years in prison after being convicted by a Superior Court jury in a drugs and weapons case. Deputy Attorneys General Erika Flaschner and Zachary Rosen won the conviction against Marzette King for Drug Dealing, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, three counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, three counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited, and one count of Possession of Ammunition by a Person Prohibited. Acting on a tip in 2016, police executed a search warrant in King’s home in the 200 block of West 22nd Street. Officers found 2 loaded 9mm handguns, a semi-automatic rifle, and over 70 grams of marijuana. Previous violent felony convictions on drug, burglary, and robbery charges make King prohibited from having guns. King faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 120 years when sentenced as a habitual offender later this year.

A 25-year old Wilmington man faces 15 years to life in prison after pleading guilty to a weapons charge in Superior Court. Deputy Attorney General Mark Denney secured the plea from Darry Carter to Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited and Resisting Arrest. Police conducting surveillance due to a high level of gun violence saw Carter showing characteristics of an armed gunman in the 100 block of South Franklin Street in May 2016, before fleeing from police and discarding a loaded firearm on a garage roof near South Harrison Street. Carter faces sentencing in July as a habitual offender, due to previous violent felony convictions on weapons, drug, and assault charges.

Deputy Attorney General Kathleen Dickerson secured a guilty plea and prison sentence for Jerome Jenkins, 34, of Dover to Rape Second Degree and Sexual Abuse of a Child by a Person of Trust First Degree. In December 2016, Jenkins sexually abused a young child in his care. Upon his plea, Jenkins was immediately sentenced to 18 years in prison followed by 2 years of probation.

91-count indictment against Touch Money Gang members includes murder, robbery, conspiracy and weapons charges

Following a lengthy investigation involving multiple local, state and federal agencies, 13 members of the Touch Money Gang, or TMG, a violent Wilmington neighborhood youth gang, were indicted by a grand jury last week for a long list of crimes including six murders, five shootings with injuries and a bank robbery.

The indictment charges all 13 individuals with gang participation because of membership in TMG and re-indicts a number of previous crimes that have now been determined to have TMG involvement.

Delaware Department of Justice, Wilmington Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation that led to the 91-count indictment by a grand jury on August 31, which also involved the Delaware State Police, New Castle County Police, Juvenile Probation, New Castle City Police, Department of Corrections, Elsmere Police, Federal Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and U.S. Marshal Service. It is the largest indictment in memory by DOJ in terms of the number of homicides and shootings involved.

All 13 individuals indicted are now in custody.

“This indictment alleges what the residents of Wilmington unfortunately have experienced for the last several years, that a gang called TMG was bringing violence to their streets, some of which was committed by teens as young as 14 and 15 years old,” Attorney General Matt Denn said in announcing the indictments. “The level of violence and brazenness alleged to have been exhibited by TMG members is shocking. The number of shots being fired and the indiscriminate nature of the shootings are alarming. We believe the murders were committed by TMG members who were between the ages of 14 and 19 years old when they pulled the trigger.”

“These indictments are a step in making city neighborhoods safer, but also are a reminder of the gun violence we unfortunately continue to see daily, often perpetrated by teens and young adults,” Attorney General Denn said.

The murder counts included in the indictment are for six killings, including:

• Ioannis Kostikidis, a security guard at the American Beauty School, was shot and killed during a robbery attempt at 6th and Tatnall Streets on February 6, 2013;

• Dwayne Brown was shot and killed in the area of 10th and Kirkwood Streets in Wilmington on May 8, 2014;

• Devon Lindsey was shot and killed on E. 29th in Wilmington on January 18, 2015;

• William Rollins was shot and killed at the corner of W. 21st and Washington Streets in Wilmington on January 24, 2015;

• Deshon Sellers was shot and killed on E. 24th Street near Carter Street in Wilmington on February 16, 2015;

• Malik Watson was shot and killed on 9th Street in the city of New Castle on November 26, 2014. A previous indictment for the murder of Malik Watson was incorporated into this new indictment based on the involvement of the gang.

The indictments also include charges related to five other shootings with injuries including one last month at the Adams Four Shopping Center, multiple illegal firearm and drug possessions and the January 29, 2015 robbery of the WSFS branch on North Union Street in Wilmington.

“There are many people and agencies that helped make these indictments possible. We greatly appreciate the cooperation and partnership from the other law enforcement agencies that took part in this investigation,” Attorney General Denn said. “From the DOJ, I want to recognize deputy attorneys general Ipek Medford, John Downs and Periann Doko, investigator Cliff Dempsey, paralegal Jaime Prater and analysts Bill Moran and Shennette Moore for the long, dedicated and tireless work over many months stitching together the full picture of this gang’s activities and working to take its members off the streets.”

“Through aggressive policing strategies, and by working closely with our partners in public safety, the various federal agencies, and the community, we continue our collaborative efforts to arrest and prosecute those who commit senseless acts of gun violence in our city,” said Wilmington Police Chief Bobby Cummings.

The FBI’s involvement in the Wilmington TMG investigation was part of that agency’s initiative to target gun violence in cities around the country.

“Recent spikes in violence may have led many in the community to mistakenly think law enforcement has given up on fighting crime, but today’s indictments and arrests prove this isn’t true,” said Kevin Perkins, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Delaware. “We are actively investigating cases, making arrests and stopping criminals. Our law enforcement partnerships have deepened and we are more committed than ever to making Wilmington a safer place.”

The list of individuals indicted:

JOHN BRISCO, aka “Bin Laden”, 18 years old
RAYMIRE BRISCOE, aka “Fats”, 15 years old
ALEXANDER FITZGERALD, aka “Trey”, 19 years old
BRYANT HAWKES, aka “Black Sosa”, 20 years old
AQUANTAY GARNER, aka “Caper Boi”, 19 years old
RYLIER GRAYSON, aka “Lier”, 20 years old
RONALD MADDREY, aka “Doo”, 20 years old
KADIR MCCOY, aka “D-Rose”, 17 years old
TYMERE RIGHTER, aka “Frog”, 19 years old
JACQUEZ ROBINSON, aka “Quez”, 20 years old
RANDY SCOTT, aka “YL”, 23 years old
JAYMERE WHITE, aka “Jay 5”, 17 years old
DAYMERE WISHER, aka “Day-Day”, 16 years old

In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.