David Elder, 45, of Lewes, was found guilty by a Superior Court jury of the rape of a senior citizen and faces a mandatory life sentence because of previous convictions that qualify him for sentencing as an habitual offender. In the early morning hours of December 28, 2015, Elder unlawfully entered the residence of a 78-year-old woman and raped her while wearing a ski mask to disguise his identity. After a four-day jury trial prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Casey L. Ewart, Elder was convicted of Rape First Degree, Rape Second Degree, Burglary First Degree, and Wearing a Disguise During the Commission of a Felony on December 15, 2017. Elder is already a registered sex offender as a result of a 1993 conviction for Unlawful Sexual Contact Second Degree, and he was previously declared to be an habitual offender in connection with a conviction for Failure to Re-Register as a Sex Offender in 2012. Sentencing is scheduled for January 26, 2018, and Elder is facing a mandatory life sentence for the Rape First Degree charge. DOJ paralegal Veronica McKain and Administrative Specialist Angelique Waters provided valuable assistance to the prosecution team, while Det. Joshua Rowley of the Delaware State Police and DOJ Social Worker Carla Ennals played vital roles in the successful prosecution of this case.

A Laurel man who raped and impregnated a teenage girl faces a minimum sentence of 10 years, with the possibility of up to 50 years in prison, after pleading guilty on December 15, 2017, to charges of Rape Second Degree, Sexual Abuse of a Child by a Person in a Position of Trust, Supervision, or Authority 2nd Degree, Rape 4th Degree, and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Defendant Omar Cameron repeatedly raped a juvenile girl over a lengthy period of time ending in early 2017, until one of those rapes caused the victim to become pregnant. After the victim’s mother learned of the pregnancy, she reported it to the authorities and Cameron was arrested. DNA testing subsequently confirmed that Cameron was responsible for impregnating the victim. A sentencing date is pending. Det. Tyler Bryan of the Laurel Police Department led the investigation and arrested Cameron, while Deputy Attorney General Casey L. Ewart prosecuted the case and was assisted by Administrative Specialist Angelique Waters and Social Worker Carla Ennals.

Others face prison time for rape, gun, and drug charges

A 30-year-old Magnolia man was sentenced to prison in connection with a July 2015 killing in the Simon Circle neighborhood in Dover. Deputy Attorney General Stephen Welch secured the sentence for Erick Morton, after Morton pled guilty to Manslaughter. Morton was identified by surveillance video from municipal cameras that captured him shooting 35-year-old Jamal Weeks of Dover, in the 900 block of North Street. Morton was sentenced by Judge William Witham to 20 years in prison, suspended after 5 years for 6 months of Level IV work release, followed by 1 year of Level III probation and 1 year of Level II probation.

Deputy Attorney General Periann Doko secured a prison sentence for Charles Johnson, 34, of Wilmington. In February 2014, Johnson was arrested after being involved in a heroin deal. Johnson fled from police as they tried to stop his car, throwing money out of the window as he drove. Johnson pled guilty in May 2016 to Drug Dealing (Tier 2 quantity of heroin) and Disregarding a Police Signal. He was sentenced as a habitual offender due to previous violent drug and assault convictions to five years in prison, followed by probation.

Deputy Attorneys General Caterina Gatto and Christina Kontis secured a five-year prison sentence for Malik Moss, 31, of Bear after convicting him at trial in February for Drug Dealing (Tier 4 quantity of heroin), Aggravated Possession of Heroin, Disregarding a Police Officer’s Signal, Possession of Marijuana and Reckless Driving. In April 2014, Moss fled from police during a traffic stop. The car was found abandoned on the front lawn of a nearby residence. A large amount of heroin, some marijuana, and a cell phone were left behind. The vehicle and drugs were linked back to Moss through fingerprint and cellphone analysis.

Deputy Attorney General Sonia Augusthy secured an eight-year prison sentence for 19-year-old Al-Ghaniyy Price of Wilmington. Price pled guilty in April to Maintaining a Drug Property, Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited, Possession of Ammunition by a Person Prohibited, and Drug Dealing (Tier 4 quantity of heroin). Price was arrested in May 2015 as part of an investigation into drug activity in the Sparrow Run neighborhood. When police entered his bedroom in his mother’s home, they found more than 150 grams of heroin, a 9-mm handgun, and ammunition. Price was sentenced by Judge John A. Parkins, Jr. to a total of eight years in prison, followed by six months at Level IV, then two years of Level III probation. DAG Augusthy also secured a prison sentence Mik’trell Spriggs, 22, of Sparrow Run, as a result of his conviction in the same drug investigation. Spriggs was charged with selling crack cocaine while on probation for a previous drug dealing conviction. Spriggs was sentenced to a total of eight-and-a-half years at Level V for three counts of Drug Dealing, as well as his Violation of Probation. His prison term will be followed by 6 months at Level IV, and 18 months of Level III probation.

Deputy Attorney General Jan van Amerongen secured a prison sentence for Paul Brunhammer, 34, of Salem, New Jersey. Brunhammer pled guilty in May to Rape Third Degree in a case from 2010. Brunhammer raped the daughter of his ex-girlfriend while he was visiting the mother’s home in Newark. When the victim reported the assault, Brunhammer was incarcerated in New Jersey for an unrelated sexual assault. Brunhammer was returned to Delaware earlier this year to face the new charge after completing his New Jersey sentence for Aggravated Sexual Assault. Judge William C. Carpenter, Jr. sentenced Brunhammer to 25 years in prison, suspended after 10 years for two years of Level III probation, and ordered him to register as a Tier III sex offender.

Daniel Simmons, 35, of Pike Creek, pled guilty to one count of fourth degree rape in New Castle County Superior Court this morning. The plea, secured by Deputy Attorney General Peggy Marshall, resolves a case charging Simmons with raping a teenage boy.

Simmons was arrested May 2, 2014 and immediately placed on administrative leave. He resigned from his position three days later.

As a result of the plea, Simmons faces up to 15 years in prison, will be required to register as a Tier II sex offender, and can have no contact with his victim.

The victim’s family said in a statement they are satisfied with the resolution. “We are happy to have avoided a public trial. We want him held accountable, and don’t want him to hurt anyone else.”

Simmons will be sentenced June 16, 2015.