DOJ’s Division of Civil Rights & Public Trust indicted Monday a former Wilmington Police Department (WPD) after an investigation revealed that he sent lewd text messages to a 17-year-old whom he met while on duty. “The facts of this case are grave and disturbing,” said Attorney General Jennings. “The defendant in this case swore an […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced Friday that the Department of Justice charged 130 gun offenders and secured more than 245 total years in prison sentences on 18 gun convictions in the month of February.  Since 2019, the DOJ has an 83% conviction rate in Superior Court gun cases. “My first priority is combatting violent crime—particularly gun […]

Prosecutors seek additional victims of Ellendale pastor The Delaware Department of Justice is seeking the public’s assistance in the prosecution of a Sussex County pastor indicted for Unlawful Sexual Contact, and is requesting that any additional victims contact law enforcement. Major Foster, a Lincoln man who at the time was employed as pastor of Ellendale’s […]

The Delaware Department of Justice’s Division of Civil Rights & Public Trust (DCRPT) has secured two convictions against William Freeborn, the former Executive Director of the Wilmington Neighborhood Conservancy Land Bank (WNCLB). “If you abuse the public’s trust we will hold you accountable,” said Attorney General Jennings. “The defendant used a position of public confidence to […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced Friday that the Department of Justice charged 102 gun offenders and secured 279.5 total years in prison sentences on 67 gun convictions in the month of March. “My first priority is combatting violent crime—particularly gun crimes,” said AG Jennings.  “Gun violence is a both a national crisis and a local one. In Delaware, […]

A Sussex County man has been sentenced to two years in prison for a hate crime involving a neighbor. James Raab, of Laurel, was sentenced on April 22 after pleading guilty to felony Hate Crime, Possession of a Deadly Weapon During the Commission of a Felony, Aggravated Menacing, and Resisting Arrest. Raab, 38, was arrested […]

All 50 states reach agreement with Intuit for deceiving low-income Americans into paying for free tax services Attorney General Kathy Jennings today secured over $400,000 for low-income Delawareans from the owner of TurboTax, Intuit Inc. (Intuit), for deceiving Delaware consumers into paying for tax services that should have been free. As a result of a […]

Chancery ruling invalidates illegal fetal tissue ordinance A fetal tissue ordinance enacted by Seaford City Council late last year has been overturned following a successful legal challenge by Attorney General Kathy Jennings and the Delaware Department of Justice. The ordinance, enacted on December 14 with an original effective date of January 22, would have forced […]

Jewelry chain defrauded thousands of servicemembers and veterans Attorney General Kathy Jennings, through the Fraud Division’s Consumer Protection Unit and in connection with 17 other states and the FTC, has secured a recovery of $34.2 million for more than 46,000 servicemembers and veterans nationwide who were deceived and defrauded by jewelry retailer Harris Jewelry. Harris […]

Ex-Tower Hill employee faces seven felonies; no Delaware children or THS students among known victims A Wilmington man and former Tower Hill School employee arrested in April has been indicted on charges arising from a child pornography investigation. William Ushler, 53, was arrested and charged on April 19 by members of the Department of Justice […]

Deal commits Trident Mortgage to pay for mortgage subsidies in minority neighborhoods, spurring hundreds of millions in lending Attorney General Jennings today announced a $20 million settlement with former top home mortgage lender, Trident Mortgage Company, to resolve allegations of “redlining” in the greater Philadelphia region, including New Castle County. The deal requires Trident to […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings applauded several policy changes implemented by the Criminal Justice Council as part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen rights for survivors of sexual assault. The new policies establish timelines for the collection, documentation, processing and investigation of assault evidence “kits.” This policy is a result of funding received from the U.S. […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings and fellow attorneys general have reached an agreement in principle with opioid maker Endo International plc and its lenders that would provide up to $450 million to participating states and local governments, ban promotion of Endo’s opioids, and require Endo to turn over documents related to its role in the opioid […]

A Delaware State Trooper has pleaded guilty to Misuse of Computer System Information, Attorney General Kathy Jennings and Col. Melissa Zebley announced Friday.  The case was prosecuted by the Department of Justice’s Division of Civil Rights & Public Trust after Delaware State Police supervisors discovered and reported Boyda’s conduct. James D. Boyda, a five-year veteran of […]

A Wilmington man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for a 2018 murder. On August 26, Elgin Wilson, 20, pleaded guilty to Murder 2nd Degree and was sentenced to 25 years in prison, suspended after 20 years for descending levels of probation. Wilson also pleaded guilty to Conspiracy 2nd Degree and was sentenced […]

Two defendants affiliated with the Wilmington-area gang MGS have been sentenced to a collective 61 years in prison in connection with multiple shootings, including three murders. Both defendants were identified and arrested as a result of a years-long investigation into MGS, a violent gang at the center of nearly 200 criminal charges involving 19 defendants and […]

A Kent County couple has been indicted on 646 charges, including more than 80 felonies, for abusing their two children. Over a period of 20 months, Mary Vinson, 45, and Charles Vinson, 36, are alleged to have abused their children, including making them stand for long periods of time; withholding food; force feeding them; and […]

Defendant’s murder conviction follows co-conspirator’s guilty plea The Department of Justice secured convictions on all counts, including 1st Degree Murder, against a Newark defendant charged with the killing of 17-year-old Madison Sparrow, Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced Thursday. Sparrow was first reported missing on October 2, 2020; a subsequent investigation by Delaware State Police and […]

Attorney General Jennings today announced a multistate settlement with Experian Data Corp (“EDC”) for failing to warn affected consumers after it learned that an identity thief was posing as a private investigator and retrieving sensitive personal information from Court Ventures Inc., a database that EDC had purchased. In 2012, the U.S. Secret Service notified EDC […]

Attorney General Kathleen Jennings announced today that Delaware, along with 39 states, has obtained two multistate settlements with Experian Information Solutions, Inc. (“Experian”) and T-Mobile USA, Inc. (“T-Mobile”) concerning a 2015 data breach experienced by Experian that compromised the personal information of more than 15 million individuals who submitted credit applications with T-Mobile. Under the […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings today announced that Delaware has reached a settlement with Walmart to resolve allegations that the company contributed to the opioid addiction crisis by failing to appropriately oversee the dispensing of opioids at its stores. The settlement will provide $3.1 billion nationally and will require significant improvements in how Walmart’s pharmacies handle […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced Friday that the DOJ’s Fraud Division has secured revocations of the corporate charters or certificates of formation of multiple Delaware-registered business entities connected to criminal entities, including a Venezuelan cartel and a federally sanctioned online pharmacy based in Argentina. “Delaware’s central role in the business community is both a privilege and a responsibility,” said […]

A Magnolia man has pleaded guilty to two counts of Unlawful Sexual Conduct Against a Child and two counts of Human Trafficking a Minor. George Curtis, 31, was arrested following an investigation that found that he, while serving as the photographer for an illicit photoshoot prearranged on social media, repeatedly made unwanted sexual contact with […]

Together with prior deals, Delaware now expects to recover a quarter-billion dollars to combat opioid crisis Attorney General Kathy Jennings today announced that she has finalized settlement agreements with CVS and Walgreens, bringing the national amount from investigations and litigation against the pharmaceutical industry for its role in the opioid crisis to more than $50 billion. Delaware’s […]

The Department of Justice has secured an additional 28 charges against three defendants, and a guilty plea from a fourth, in its case against the Wilmington-area gang NorthPak. “Wilmington, and Delaware as a whole, are making strides in the fight against gun violence, and aggressively taking on violent gangs is an indispensable part of that […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings last week secured a multi-year suspension and fines from a Wilmington based financial adviser for making false and misleading statements to her office’s Investor Protection Unit, the state securities regulator for Delaware, and for providing advisory services to clients while unregistered to do so. “Protecting investors from unscrupulous financial professionals is […]

The Delaware Department of Justice’s Division of Civil Rights and Public Trust secured fair housing settlements in two cases that awarded $50,000 collectively for two victims, among other stipulations.  “Housing and reasonable accommodation are basic human rights,” said Attorney General Kathy Jennings. “— and that should be especially true in a place that prides itself on being a […]

DOJ, DSP seeking additional victims   A former Seaford High School employee faces six felony child sexual abuse charges under an indictment returned by a Sussex County jury, Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced Tuesday. Jerry Sodano, 52, of Bridgeville was charged Monday following an investigation into allegations of an illegal sexual relationship with a student at […]

The Department of Justice has secured 40 convictions, including multiple murder and attempted murder charges, against two members of the violent Wilmington-area gang NorthPak, Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced Wednesday. “Thanks to an outstanding trial team and tireless investigators, led by the Wilmington Police Department, justice was delivered today,” said Attorney General Jennings. “These verdicts, […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings today co-led a coalition of attorneys general from across the nation in denouncing four of the world’s largest credit card companies for walking back their commitment to implement a new merchant code for gun sales that would help prevent mass shootings and curb gun violence. “Gun violence has become so endemic in our country that it is now the leading cause of childhood death. […]

A King of Prussia man has been convicted for the 2021 stalking and murder of Nicole Crawford. On March 16, Justin Chaffier, 36, was found guilty of Murder 1st  Degree in addition to a felony Stalking charge. The conviction followed an investigation in which it was confirmed through multiple Ring camera videos, phone records, and DNA testing that […]

Recommendations include a whole-person approach to substance use disorder treatment and broadened non-opioid options for chronic pain treatment  The Delaware Drug Overdose Fatality Review Commission (DOFRC) has released its second annual report to Governor John Carney and the General Assembly, announced Attorney General Kathy Jennings. The report examines a sample of 108 cases from fatal overdoses that occurred […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings and her colleagues have announced that a proposed settlement has been reached in the 2020 lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its failure to require Pennsylvania to develop and implement a plan to meet its commitments to reduce pollution under the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint. One-third of Delaware is […]

A Newark man has been indicted and arrested for a 2009 homicide following a cold case investigation. On April 24, 31-year-old Ricardo J. Vega was indicted on two counts of Murder 1st Degree for the killing of 19-year-old Justin Trnka. Trnka, also of Newark, was killed during an armed robbery on March17,2009. Potential charges for the armed robbery are subject to a statute of limitations […]

On May 11, 37-year-old Kyle Leonard pled guilty to Murder 2nd Degree in Kent County Superior Court. Leonard was sentenced to 40 years in prison, suspended after 30 years for 6 months of work release or home confinement, followed by two years of probation.   The conviction and sentence follow an investigation into Leonard fatally shooting his mother, […]

Three-year-old’s remains were found behind Smyrna softball field in 2019 On May 25,, Kristie Haas pled guilty to the lead charge of Murder by Abuse or Neglect First Degree for the killing of her three-year-old daughter, Emma Cole. In addition to Murder by Abuse or Neglect, Haas also pled guilty to three counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child and one count of Abuse of a […]

Prosecutors have secured indictments against four defendants charged with multiple carjackings, along with kidnapping, rape, and theft.   On June 5, the Department of Justice secured indictments against Defendants Tonnaire McNair-Matthews, 24, of Wilmington; David Hinson, 21, of Bear; Mahkiya Powell, 20, of Wilmington; and Michael Caldwell, 21, of Wilmington. The charges stem from an April, […]

Delaware to receive nearly $70 million to fight the opioid crisis Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings today announced the final approval of $17.3 billion in opioid agreements with drug makers Teva and Allergan and pharmacies CVS and Walgreens. Following successful state sign-on and subdivision sign-on periods, the defendants have committed to the deal and will start releasing funds […]

The Department of Justice has secured two additional felony charges in its case against the violent gang NorthPak as a result of the ongoing investigation led by Wilmington Police Department. “This investigation never stops running,” said Attorney General Jennings. “These charges are a reflection of the dogged determination of Wilmington PD and our prosecutors, who […]

Two Delaware women have been sentenced to probation and suspended prison time for tax-related crimes after falsely claiming thousands of dollars in itemized deductions on their tax returns and submitting falsified documents during their respective audits. The cases represent the first prosecutions brought under the new initiative between the Department of Justice and the Department of Finance targeting state tax fraud “These convictions are the result of great work by our prosecutors and our […]

First trial conviction for use of force under Jennings administration A former Wilmington police officer has been convicted of four crimes, including a felony, for an excessive force incident that took place in September 2021. A New Castle County jury found Samuel Waters guilty Monday of felony Tampering With Public Records 1st Degree, Falsifying Business […]

Three men have been indicted in the murder of a Laurel High School senior. On June 26, Jhalir Henry, 27, of Delmar; Donregus Holland, 28, of Hurlock, MD; and Shyheem Latham-Purnell, 21, of Laurel were indicted by a Sussex County grand jury following an investigation into the April 14 shooting of 18-year-old Corey J. Mumford at Wexford Village […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings released the following statement Friday in response to the House, Senate, and Governor’s commitment to pass Senate Bill 2, legislation creating a permit to purchase handguns, when the legislature reconvenes in January: “Hard things are hard; this is no exception. All of us — not only me, but the sponsors and […]

A Townsend man has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of four family members. On August 18, Donald Grier Jr., 41, was sentenced to life plus 25 years in prison in New Castle County Superior Court after pleading Guilty But Mentally Ill to one count of Murder 1st Degree and one count […]

A Pennsylvania man has been sentenced to more than a decade in prison for violent assault and robbery. On August 25, 2023, Zykeem Fields, 23, was sentenced to 15 years in prison, followed by probation, by a Superior Court judge. Fields, who lived part-time in Wilmington, pleaded guilty to felony charges of Assault 1st Degree and Robbery 1st Degree following a brutal attack in 2022.   On September 28, 2022, Fields followed […]

In the wake of an uptick in reports of financial exploitation of seniors, Attorney General Kathy Jennings and the Delaware DOJ’s Investor Protection Unit (“IPU”) is cautioning seniors to be vigilant for scams. Delaware law requires banks, credit unions, and certain other financial institutions to report suspected exploitation of a senior or vulnerable adult to the IPU. […]

Attorney General Jennings announced today a settlement with Tempoe, LLC resolving a multistate investigation into Tempoe’s advertising and leasing to consumers through retailers across the nation. The multistate investigation—which included 41 states and the District of Columbia—revealed that Tempoe’s marketing and sales practices often misled consumers to believe they were signing up for an installment […]

A Wilmington man has been sentenced to prison time for a fatal shooting. On September 1, 2023, Dean Sutton Jr. was sentenced to ten years in prison by a Superior Court Judge for convictions of Manslaughter and Reckless Endangering 1st Degree following an investigation into a 2021 shooting. At trial, Sutton claimed to have acted […]

Literacy Month is intended to recognize the extensive efforts of literacy partners to promote reading as an essential skill and a lifelong pleasure.

A New Castle man has been sentenced to life in prison following convictions in two domestic violence cases. On September 22, David Jewell, 47, was declared a habitual offender and sentenced to life in prison for convictions of felony Stalking, Harassment, and 24 counts of Terroristic Threatening, following an investigation into hundreds of violent phone calls and messages targeting two victims, one of whom was a […]