Attorney General Kathy Jennings on Wednesday announced 77 charges against nine defendants accused of conducting straw purchases of at least 12 firearms in the Dover area. Of the 77 charges, 76 are felony charges. “There’s no question that guns — and by extension, gun trafficking — are driving violent crime in Delaware,” Jennings said during a press conference. “Straw purchases …
DOJ investigator admits to misleading court in McGuiness case
State Auditor Kathy McGuiness will not have any charges dropped before her trial begins next week, a judge ruled Tuesday. McGuiness’ attorneys appeared before Judge William Carpenter of the Superior Court of Delaware to ask for a misdemeanor non-compliance with procurement law charge to be dismissed. RELATED: McGuiness pleads not guilty; bail set at $50,000 Defense attorney Steve Wood argued …
House bill would raise minimum sentence for felony firearm charge
A bill set to be considered by the Delaware House of Representatives would increase the minimum sentence for those who possess a firearm during the commission of a felony. The crime was created by the 137th General Assembly in 1994 with the minimum required sentence set at three years, or five years for defendants with two prior felony convictions. It …
TurboTax owner to pay $400K to Delawareans after ‘misleading’ users
Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced Wednesday that Intuit Inc., the company behind online tax filing software TurboTax, will pay more than $400,000 to low-income Delaware residents who were deceived by the company. The settlement comes as part of a $141 million agreement between the attorneys general of all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Intuit. Intuit must also …
DOJ seeks public’s assistance in Sussex County sexual abuse case
Major Foster The Delaware Department of Justice is asking individuals who have been victims of abuse by an Ellendale pastor to come forward and assist in his prosecution. Major Foster, a Lincoln man, is facing pending charges after allegedly inappropriately touching multiple women during his time as pastor at Ellendale’s Philadelphia Pentecostal Holiness Church. Foster was indicted in November by …
Purdue Pharma agrees to new opioid settlement after Delaware, other states appeal
Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family could pay up to $6 billion for the OxyContin maker’s role in the deadly opioid epidemic, Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced Thursday. If approved, Delaware would receive nearly $50 million under the terms of the tentative settlement that includes almost all U.S. states and thousands of local governments. Jennings and eight other attorneys general …
Jennings: 5 charged for buying guns for others
Attorney General Kathy Jennings on Wednesday announced 91 felony charges against five defendants accused of illegally purchasing more than 60 firearms for others. Two of the guns have already taken lives, Jennings said, including one in a Dover homicide and another in a New Castle County suicide. “Several more have been recovered in search warrants executed as far away …
Delaware DOJ civil rights division secures felony hate crime conviction
Attorney General Kathy Jennings on Thursday announced the Department of Justice’s first felony hate crime trial conviction by the agency’s Division of Civil Rights and Public Trust. Defendant Matthew Gregg was convicted by a New Castle County jury on charges of hate crimes, harassment, and terroristic threatening after repeatedly verbally attacking a member of Gov. John Carney’s staff, an African …
AG Jennings announces formation of Human Trafficking Unit
Attorney General Kathy Jennings on Monday announced the formation of a dedicated unit within the Delaware Department of Justice to investigate instances of human trafficking. The unit will be aptly named the Human Trafficking Unit, or HTU. “Human trafficking is among the direst human rights crises of this century,” Jennings said in a statement announcing the unit’s formation. “Awareness has …
Seaford mayor pushes back against AG’s fetal remains lawsuit
Seaford Mayor David Genshaw says the ordinance has nothing to do with a woman’s right to get an abortion. Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings on Tuesday filed suit against the City of Seaford in the state’s Court of Chancery over an ordinance relating to the manner by which abortion clinics must dispose of fetal remains. Now, Seaford’s mayor and city …