A Delaware Natural Resources Police investigation has lead to the arrest of a 16-year-old male of Wilmington, DE, on a charge of attempted carjacking at Bellevue State Park.

On Thursday, Sept. 07, 2023, at approximately 3:30 p.m., officers responded to the main parking lot of Bellevue State Park following 911 calls reporting an attempted carjacking. When officers arrived, they learned that the 67-year-old victim of Wilmington, Del., was approached by a teenage male. The suspect pointed a handgun at the victim and demanded the keys to their vehicle, at which time the victim complied and dropped the keys. The suspect then entered the vehicle, but quickly fled on foot after the victim began yelling for help. Officers from Delaware Natural Resources Police, Delaware State Police and New Castle County Police searched the area but were unable to locate the suspect. During the investigation, the suspect was found to have been captured on security cameras in the area. These images assisted officers in positively identifying the suspect.

An arrest warrant was issued for the suspect with the following crimes:

• Robbery First Degree (Class B Felony)
• Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony (Class B Felony)
• Possess, Purchase, Own or Control a Firearm/Destructive Weapon If Previously Convicted of A Violent Felony (Class C Felony)
• Aggravated Menacing (Class E Felony)

On Friday, Sept. 8, 2023, the suspect was located and taken into custody by Wilmington Police officers following a traffic stop. The suspect was arraigned at Justice of the Peace Court 11 and committed to Ferris Juvenile Detention Center on a $100,000 cash bond.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation oversees more than 26,000 acres in 17 state parks and the Brandywine Zoo. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Captain John McDerby, john.mcderby@delaware.gov

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A New Castle County grand jury handed up indictments against 44-year-old Ryan Shover of York, PA, and 51-year-old Michael Kman of Enola, PA on Jan. 19, 2016, in connection with the 2013 death of 43-year-old Wayne Cappelli of Claymont. Both are charged with two counts of First Degree Murder, Possession of a Deadly Weapon During the Commission of a Felony, Conspiracy, and Insurance Fraud.

Cappelli was found dead on February 18, 2013 in the brush off the road of the 2100 block of Delaview Avenue in Silvercroft in Brandywine Hundred, with severe blunt force trauma to his body.

An investigation uncovered Cappelli obtained a large life insurance policy as recently as three months before the incident, naming an acquaintance as beneficiary. As the investigation continued, detectives were able to determine that this murder investigation was likely a planned murder for the collection of the life insurance money.

The investigation was a multi-agency effort led by Sergeant Tom Orzechowski of the New Castle County Police along with the Department of Justice, and included the FBI, the East Pennsboro Township Police, and the York Regional Police Departments in Pennsylvania.

“We appreciate the hard work and cooperation of everyone involved in this case, knowing how difficult it is to bring justice to those responsible in cold cases” said Attorney General Matt Denn.” Thanks to the tireless work of the police agencies involved, along with our team from the Department of Justice we were able to do just that for the family of Mr. Cappelli.”

“This is another example of our detectives working relentlessly on cases, even as complex as this one,” said Colonel Elmer Setting, Chief of the New Castle County Police. “Their tireless efforts have helped bring those accountable for this murder to justice along with closure to the family and friends of Mr. Cappelli. Our Criminal Investigation Unit, with critical support from the office of the Attorney General, continues to make arrests in these major investigations.”

“As I have said before, and let me be clear, if you commit murder in New Castle County, we will find you and ensure that justice is served.”

Mr. Shover is being held at the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution in Wilmington. Mr. Kman is in custody in Pennsylvania awaiting sentencing on unrelated charges, and will return to Delaware after those proceedings.

Woman found beaten, unconscious in Brandywine Hundred home

A jury found Jermaine Booker guilty of Assault First Degree, Home Invasion, Robbery First Degree, Possession of a Deadly Weapon During the Commission of a Felony, Burglary Second Degree, and Misdemeanor Theft on January 22. Booker, 21, of Wilmington will be sentenced to prison time in April.

In January 2014, a man returned to his home in the 100 block of Cambridge Drive, in Windsor Hills, to find his wife unconscious and bleeding in a small room off of the garage. He also discovered her car was gone. Booker was arrested two days later when police stopped the victim’s car in Newark, New Jersey. The license plate on the vehicle was stolen from the home of a neighbor of the victim, and contained one of Booker’s fingerprints. Additionally, a DNA test showed that a pair of Booker’s shoes found in the vehicle, were covered with the victim’s blood. This attack led to the assault, home invasion, robbery, and weapons charges.

Booker was also found guilty of burglary and theft, related to the break-in of another home on Cambridge Drive.

Deputy Attorneys General Mark Denney and Caterina Gatto prosecuted the case.

“This was a brutal and tragic case and the victim’s life has been altered forever,” said Attorney General Matt Denn. “Delawareans should know that law enforcement agencies, and our prosecutors will not rest until the people responsible for crime are punished. I thank New Castle County Police and Deputy Attorneys General Denney and Gatto for securing the verdict and bringing Mr. Booker to justice.”

“This was one of the most heinous and reprehensible crimes we have seen and the trauma suffered by the victim and the community is unimaginable,” said Col. Elmer Setting, Chief of the New Castle County Police. “This was a crime that we were not going to let go unsolved and is another example of our relentless pursuit of those who commit violent crime in New Castle County. Due to the professionalism and determination of our officers and detectives, combined with the prosecutorial efforts of the Attorney General’s office, the defendant was found guilty for his actions. While this conviction will never replace the loss suffered by the victim and her family, we hope that knowing that the person responsible will remain behind bars can offer some solace.”

Booker, who faces prison time ranging from 14 to 109 years, will be sentenced on April 1, 2016.

“Operation Son Sun” investigation concludes with convictions of leaders of one of Delaware’s largest heroin trafficking organizations.

Joined by the local and federal law enforcement agencies who successfully worked together to bring down one of the largest heroin trafficking organizations in Delaware history, Attorney General Matt Denn announced Thursday that the prosecutions of “Operation Son Sun” defendants had concluded with guilty adjudications for 46 defendants and multiple-decade sentences for the leaders of the organization.

The successful prosecutions were highlighted by the recent sentencings of Andrew “Rock” Lloyd, 32, of Wilmington and Antoine “Flock” Miller, 35, of Wilmington.  Lloyd led one of the largest heroin trafficking organizations in Delaware history before it was shut down in December 2014, after a multi-agency investigation. Known as “Operation Son Sun,” the investigation included the Delaware Department of Justice, the Drug Enforcement Administration-Wilmington Office (DEA), the Wilmington Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the New Castle County Police Department, the Division of Probation and Parole, the Newark Police Department, and the Delaware State Police.

The final indictment charging 46 people was handed down on December 22, 2014.  One year later, all 46 persons indicted have pled guilty or been convicted of criminal offenses.  Lloyd was sentenced to 25 years in prison, followed by probation for charges of organized crime and racketeering, six counts of Tier Five heroin possession, six counts of Tier Four drug dealing heroin, drug dealing with an aggravating factor, Tier One drug possession with an aggravating factor, possession of drug paraphernalia, and eight counts of second degree conspiracy.  Miller was sentenced to 20 years in prison followed by probation for charges of organized crime and racketeering, Tier Five heroin possession, possession of drug paraphernalia, and two counts of second degree conspiracy.

“The successful resolutions to these cases sends a strong message that we will seek to prosecute not just the street-level dealers, but the organizational heads of drug-dealing operations in our state,” said Attorney General Matt Denn. “These racketeering cases are notoriously hard to put together and present, and the fact that we were able to get convictions is in large part a credit to the front-line law enforcement work that was done.”

“The cases brought against this criminal enterprise demonstrates the strength of law enforcement’s dedication to stopping dangerous criminals in New Castle County.  This isn’t the end game for the FBI or our law enforcement partners.  We are continuing to go after the criminals who are creating violence and fear in our communities,” said Kevin Perkins, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Delaware.

“Andrew Lloyd and his associates were responsible for distributing large amounts of heroin and crack cocaine in Wilmington, Delaware. They destroyed numerous lives as a result of their drug-trafficking activities and were responsible for numerous shootings in furtherance of these same activities,” said Gary Tuggle, the Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division.  “Joint investigations such as this, where we worked with our local, state, and federal law enforcement counterparts on a case that leads to this many arrests, drug, and firearms seizures has resulted in a significant increase in the quality of life for the residents of Wilmington.”

“Our hope is that the communities impacted by these folks are safer communities today because they were arrested and successfully prosecuted,” said Col. Nathaniel McQueen, Superintendent of the Delaware State Police. “It again shows what can be done when we all work together, and the folks that benefit from our working together are those impacted communities that we serve every day.”

“This operation was a multi-agency effort to combat drug sales throughout the state and the many communities within New Castle County,” said Col. Elmer Setting, Chief of the New Castle County Police. “The New Castle County Police were glad to assist in this operation with all of our resources needed to successfully put these individuals out of the drug sales business. This is empirical evidence of how all police agencies in the state can work together to accomplish a similar goal.”

“We continue to aggressively address crime through a multi-faceted approach including working together with local, State, and federal agencies to arrest and prosecute those individuals who are committing violent crimes in our city,” said Wilmington Police Chief Bobby Cummings

“We appreciate the cooperation and partnership from the other law enforcement agencies that took part in this investigation, and we will continue our collaborative efforts to arrest and prosecute those who commit senseless acts of violence,” Denn said. “From the DOJ, I want to thank and commend Deputy Attorneys General Mark Denney, Julie Finocchiaro, Caterina Gatto, and John S. Taylor who handled the cases against all of the co-defendants. The prosecutors had a tremendous support team in paralegal Stefania Iannocco, administrative assistants Shannon Daniels, Tonya Kinsey, and Evelyn Davis and case processing unit members Diane Madric, Sandra Colicchio and Jeanne Kenney. I also want to recognize Kathy Jennings, our State Prosecutor, and Joe Grubb, the New Castle County Prosecutor, for the roles they played as well in these cases.”

More checks of prescription database, reviews of deaths, medical treatment of addiction and expanded police use of overdose drug proposed.

Building on Delaware’s efforts in recent years to combat prescription painkiller and heroin abuse, a plan released Thursday recommends that regulations governing prescription dispensing become more stringent, that deaths from opiates and heroin be reviewed to learn how they could have been prevented, that medical treatment of addiction be expanded and that more police be equipped with a drug that can counteract the effects on an overdose in an emergency, Attorney General Matt Denn was joined by Secretary of Health and Social Rita Landgraf, New Castle County Police Chief Col. Elmer Setting, Delaware Fraternal Order of Police president Fred Calhoun and atTAcK Addiction board members David Humes, Don Keister, and Rebecca King, to release the plan and begin discussions with those involved in the fight against opiate and heroin abuse.

“We are here today because, notwithstanding some extraordinary effort and hard work by many people in our state, far too many Delawareans are dying from prescription drug and heroin overdoses,” said Attorney General Denn. “The catalysts behind many of the state’s efforts in the last several years to deal with substance use disorder have been the family members of Delawareans who suffered from drug overdoses – some of whom did not survive. We owe it to them, and other families who have lost loved ones, to redouble our efforts.”

“When doctors prescribe opiates as pain medication, it is like giving patients a loaded gun that must be handled properly so that death by the disease of addiction does not occur,” Don Keister said, noting a need for doctors to limit the number of prescribed pills and also inquire into a patient’s family history and situation for signs of potential misuse.

“Sadly we are fighting a disease of epidemic proportion, and this disease is destroying, and is taking lives,” Secretary Landgraf said in talking about recovery options. “We know that treatment works and that recovery is possible.”

The plan addresses in four areas that should positively impact the prevalence of prescription opioid and heroin abuse:

• Strengthening the regulations that govern the amount of care that health care providers must exercise in prescribing opiate drugs. The state Controlled Substance Advisory Committee has drafted regulations to govern prescription by doctors and the plan includes ideas – already submitted in comment form – to make those regulations even strong before they are finalized.

• Conducting routine state reviews of deaths caused by prescription opiate and/or heroin overdoses to determine what could have been done differently, similar to reviews currently done in child death cases. Such a process would need to be created by the action of the legislature in 2016.

• Maximizing the responsible use of medically assisted treatment of substance abuse disorder. A group of medical professionals and advocates would convene to discuss best practices in the use of medications like Suboxone, methadone and naltrexone, which some doctors have advocated for wider use of to treat addiction.

• Encouraging our state’s law enforcement community to expand the number of officers who carry naxolene, a drug that is effective in reversing the effect of heroin overdoses. This drug has been successfully employed in nine cases by New Castle County Police (7), Middletown Police (1) and Ocean View (1) police to avert a potentially fatal overdose.

“The folks that are addicted to heroin aren’t necessarily criminals, they are certainly victims,” Col. Setting said. “These people need help and I am so glad that I am not the only person saying it any longer. This is not just a police problem.”

Speaking about police support for equipping officers with addiction-countering medication, FOP president Calhoun said “None of my officers want to be standing in the doorway when a family member or child walks up from the sidewalk, looking into their eyes, knowing that the next thing you’re going to tell them will impact them for the rest of their lives.”

Deaths from prescription opioid abuse and from illegal heroin remain as problems in Delaware. The Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, begun in 2012, is a significant advancement that should become more effective over time with improved utilization. Using various statistical measures from 2009 and 2010, the Prescription Drug Advisory Committee found in 2013 that Delaware had the nation’s ninth highest drug overdose rate, had a significantly higher percentage of its residents engaging in non-medical use of prescription opioids than the national average, and had the nation’s fifth highest overall rate for opioid sales. Regarding illegal heroin use, the number of deaths in Delaware from heroin overdoses increased from 8 deaths in 2009 to 23 in 2013.