The Delaware Department of Justice Investor Protection Unit is closely monitoring the extreme price volatility of certain stocks and cautioned investors about the risks associated with investing in publicly traded companies that are experiencing volatility. “It can be risky investing in stocks with extreme changes in price over a short period of time. Investors should […]

Potential victims encouraged to contact (302) 577-5293 or ReportAbuse@delaware.gov   Tyrone Clark, 64, has been sentenced to a total of 125 years for the rape and abuse of a 12-year-old child in his care.  “No crime is more offensive, more heinous, and more dangerous than the sexual abuse of a child,” said Attorney General Jennings. “I’m grateful to […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings and the DOJ’s Division of Civil Rights & Public Trust announced Tuesday that a grand jury has indicted James MacColl, formerly a corporal of the Wilmington Police Department, on two felonies and one misdemeanor. MacColl, 39, is charged with Providing a False Statement to Law Enforcement, Tampering with Physical Evidence, and Official Misconduct for […]

DOJ has indicted nine public officials in Jennings’ term Attorney General Kathy Jennings and the DOJ’s Division of Civil Rights & Public Trust (DCRPT) announced Tuesday the indictments of two public officials, William Freeborn and Rebecca Walker. “We cannot and will not tolerate violations of the public trust,” said Attorney General Jennings. “We fought hard to […]

These are the worst moments any of us can imagine: mourning the loss of a member of our law enforcement family.  Cpl. Keith Heacook served his Department and his community honorably and faithfully for more than two decades – a family man, a public servant, and a protector of his community until his final days. […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced Tuesday that the Department of Justice has secured the indictment of Randon Wilkerson for the murder of Cpl. Keith Heacook of the Delmar Police Department. Wilkerson will face two counts of Murder First Degree, two counts of Possession of a Deadly Weapon During the Commission of a Felony, and 11 […]

The State Senate unanimously passed legislation Wednesday that would formalize a responsible, independent, and collaborative process to allocate the significant funds the State has received, and will continue to receive, from opioid settlements. Senate Bill 166, sponsored by Sen. Stephanie Hansen and House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf, and supported by Attorney General Kathy Jennings, would establish […]

The First State is one giant step closer to being a national leader on transparency.  I’m thrilled that more than a year’s worth of hard work and dedication now means that a statewide body camera program heads to the Governor’s desk. This will mean stronger community relationships, trust, and accountability. This legislation makes Delaware a […]

A Superior Court has sentenced a New Castle woman to life in prison for the repeated abuse and murder of a child, and the abuse of four other children in her care at a daycare facility where she was employed. Dejoynay Ferguson pleaded guilty in April to Murder by Abuse First Degree, 6 counts of […]

Today Delaware is ready to fix one of America’s weakest use-of-force laws, period. This issue has come up again and again throughout our state’s debate on police reform. The need for reform is overwhelming: not only the Department of Justice, but police reform advocates and the police themselves all recognize the need to better align […]

Police seek information on suspect Prosecutors have secured the indictment of Justin Michael Chaffier in a February 2021 killing. Chaffier, 35, is charged with Murder First Degree and Stalking following a New Castle County police investigation into the murder of Nicole Crawford. “Nobody should ever have to know the pain that the Crawford family is […]

Ex-officer receives felony conviction, permanently stripped of badge and gun Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced Wednesday that the Division of Civil Rights & Public Trust (DCRPT) has convicted a former Dewey Beach police officer for assaulting an innocent, injured person and then lying to the Court to have the victim incarcerated. “Abuse of authority, brutality, and dishonesty […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings released the following statement Thursday after the Division of Civil Rights & Public Trust secured a jury conviction against a Dover man for two violent felonies.  Originally indicted in October 2020 after removing and pointing a handgun toward others during a counter-protest, Michael Hastings was convicted today of Reckless Endangering 1st […]

Lengthy DCRPT investigation yields five charges, including felonies Charges include orchestrating State contract with political consultant Indictment alleges McGuiness hired teenage daughter, paid her while enrolled in college   Following an investigation involving dozens of witness interviews, thousands of document reviews, and more than a year of work, Attorney General Kathy Jennings and the DOJ’s […]

Today we lost one of the most remarkable women our State has ever known: former Governor Ruth Ann Minner. By the time Ruth Ann Minner broke her second glass ceiling as Governor — she was also our first female Lt. Governor — she had already recorded decades of public service. From the House of Representatives […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced Monday that the Division of Civil Rights & Public Trust (DCRPT) has convicted former Wilmington City Council President Theopalis Gregory for Official Misconduct. “This conviction affirms that our state will not tolerate abusing public office and enriching oneself at the taxpayers’ expense,” said Attorney General Jennings. “Delawareans deserve integrity and, […]

Defendant convicted of racist harassment of Governor’s employee The Attorney General’s Division of Civil Rights and Public Trust (DCRPT) secured a historic guilty verdict in a felony hate crimes case, Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced Thursday. A New Castle County jury convicted Defendant Matthew Gregg of Hate Crimes, Harassment, and Terroristic Threatening, for repeatedly verbally […]

Defendant faces eight charges, including assault, misconduct, and multiple felonies Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced Monday that the DOJ’s Division of Civil Rights & Public Trust (DCRPT) secured an indictment against a former Wilmington police officer for two excessive force cases that took place in September 2021, including one incident that came to DCRPT’s attention […]

Defendant banned from law enforcement, required to undergo treatment Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced Tuesday that the Division of Civil Rights & Public Trust (DCRPT) has reached a pre-indictment plea agreement with a former Dover police officer who experienced an opioid overdose in his patrol vehicle and later tested positive for fentanyl and marijuana. “This […]

Defendant facing life in prison for repeatedly raping two juvenile victims, ages 8 and 14 After one week of trial, a Kent County jury convicted a Magnolia man of 77 felony offenses in connection with the serial sexual abuse of two juvenile children. Richard Haines, 59, faces a 462-year minimum mandatory sentence and will be required […]

Defendants face felony charges, including Perjury, for submitting fake documents The DOJ’s Division of Civil Rights and Public Trust has secured a guilty plea to Perjury, and two indictments on Perjury and Forgery charges, against three Delaware men who submitted forged documents in their applications to the Delaware Board of Pardons. “You can’t begin a second chance with […]

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 […]

Indictment includes multiple Attempted Murder, Vehicle Theft charges Four Wilmington men have been indicted following an investigation into a series of connected events in which the defendants are alleged to have stolen motor vehicles and used them in shootings. The defendants – Kyair Keys, Walike Parham, Markel Richards, and Jahmir Morris-Whit – collectively face 75 […]

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 […]

Delaware is joining a nationwide Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force of 50 attorneys general to investigate and take legal action against the telecommunications companies responsible for bringing a majority of foreign robocalls into the United States.

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 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 […]

The DOJ’s Division of Civil Rights & Public Trust (DCRPT) has indicted a former Delaware Correctional Officer and K9 handler on three charges, including a felony, for recklessly confining and causing the death of a four-year-old law enforcement animal named Lux. “We find these stories so viscerally disturbing not only because we care for the […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings and the DOJ’s Division of Civil Rights & Public Trust announced Friday that a New Castle County jury has convicted James MacColl, formerly a corporal of the Wilmington Police Department, of felony false statement to law enforcement and official misconduct. “Justice was served today,” said Attorney General Jennings. “Police who break the […]

Defendant faces multiple felonies after stealing drug evidence  The Department of Justice’s Division of Civil Rights & Public Trust has indicted a Millsboro police sergeant and evidence custodian after an investigation revealed that he tampered with and used drugs stored in the Department’s evidence locker.   Matthew Dufour, 34, faces ten charges—including multiple felonies such […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings today sued Avid Telecom for allegedly initiating and facilitating billions of illegal robocalls. Avid Telecom sent or transmitted more than 7.5 billion calls to telephone numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry, and made 27 million calls to Delawareans.  “We often think of illegal robocalls as a nuisance, but they […]

Gun dealer under investigation for lax prevention of shoplifted ammo Attorney General Kathy Jennings, through her Office of Impact Litigation, has asked the Superior Court to enforce a subpoena against Cabela’s, Inc. (“Cabela’s”) seeking answers about a half-million rounds of ammunition that were shoplifted from its Christiana location.  After more than three months, Cabela’s has […]

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 […]

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. […]

Plea agreement brings lengthy prison time, resolves five pending cases  On October 2, 34-year-old Timothy Thomas of Wilmington pleaded guilty to Murder 2nd Degree and Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited in New Castle County Superior Court following an investigation into the July 2020 shooting of Andre Hickson. “I am grateful to our prosecutors and the Wilmington Police Department for their […]

Prosecutors have convicted a Delmar man for the murder of Cpl. Keith Heacook in April 2021. Randon Wilkerson, 32, will serve the rest of his life in prison following a stipulated non-jury trial in which he was convicted of 16 charges, including two counts of Murder 1st Degree and 11 other felonies. “Cpl. Keith Heacook served […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced today that the Department of Justice has settled its lawsuit against a developer for allegedly having misled residents at Noble’s Pond, a 55+ community outside Dover, Delaware and will begin making payments to residents.  The Department’s complaint, filed in 2019, included charges that Regal Builders, LLC, its president, and related entities, violated Delaware law by […]

Attorney General seeks damages, including costs necessary to restore impacted natural resources and funding for State-run public health programs. Attorney General Kathleen Jennings announced that the Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit to hold numerous companies accountable for contaminating Delaware’s natural resources with per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) traceable to the use and disposal […]

Prosecutors indicted and convicted 20 defendants for murder, shooting, and other felonies; shootings down 30% since 2020 A successful murder trial has completed the State’s four-year prosecution against a major Wilmington-area gang with a 100% conviction rate, Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced Tuesday. The State’s efforts have secured more than 100 years of confirmed prison time, […]

Two men have been found guilty of all charges relating to a January 2022 violent crime spree, marking the final conviction in a massive four-defendant indictment. Walike Parham, 24, and Kyair Keys, 20, could face life in prison for their roles in an eight-day violent crime spree involving four shootings, including one that shattered the […]

The Delaware Department of Justice secured a felony conviction in the first of several pending cases stemming from an ongoing investigation by the Delaware Division of Revenue and the Department of Justice into fraud related to the 2022 Delaware Relief Rebate Program. That program provided Delaware residents with a one-time $300.00 check and was intended […]

The Department of Justice will move to appeal a Superior Court judge’s ruling curtailing voting rights, and will support legislative efforts to pass constitutional amendments expanding and enshrining voting rights.

A Wilmington man has been convicted of several felonies, including three separate counts of Attempted Murder, Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced Wednesday.   “An extremely violent gun offender will spend the rest of his life in prison because of excellent collaboration between Wilmington PD, prosecutors, and federal law enforcement,” said Attorney General Kathy Jennings. “These cases […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced Wednesday that 41-year-old Keith Gibson was declared a Habitual Offender and sentenced in New Castle County Superior Court to seven life terms, plus 296 years in prison for 22 convictions, including four counts of murder, relating to a brutal crime spree in the summer of 2021 that claimed the lives […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings today released the following statement regarding the Senate’s overwhelming passage of Senate Bill 2, legislation requiring training and a permit to purchase a handgun. The Senate’s vote sends the legislation to Gov. John Carney’s desk.  For five years, all of us — not only me, but the bill sponsors, the advocates, […]

Prosecutors with the Delaware Department of Justice have secured 56 new felony convictions—including two first-degree murders and a litany of gun offenses—in a trial against the last remaining defendant in the State’s yearslong case against the violent gang NorthPak, Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced Monday.  “I’m grateful for the police and prosecutors who answered the […]

A Wilmington man has pled guilty to charges stemming from the 2018 murder of Richard Young. On April 22, 24-year-old Nasir Anderson pled guilty to Murder Second Degree, Possession of a Firearm During Commission of a Felony, Robbery First Degree and Conspiracy Second Degree in New Castle County Superior Court. The plea follows a six-year […]