Three Arrested in Connection with Armed Robbery
Three Wilmington-area residents have been arrested following an investigation into an armed robbery that took place last month on West 7th Street, according to the Wilmington Police Department. According to police, the incident took place on February 4 at around 11:41 p.m. Officers from the Uninformed Services Division responded to reports of a robbery involving a firearm. Police identified three individuals, a 20-year-old, a 17-year-old, and a 23-year-old as suspects. Warrants for the suspects’ arrest were obtained shortly thereafter.
Police say that the arrests followed coordinated efforts by law enforcement in February and March. One suspect was detained during a traffic stop on February 25. The 17-year-old was taken into custody on February 28 after officers executed a search warrant on South Harrison Street. The last suspect was arrested on March 19 during a search warrant executed at a residence on Augustine Court in Middletown. The three suspects were taken into custody without incident.
Each of the three suspects is facing an array of very serious charges. These include:
- Robbery in the First Degree
- Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony
- Assault in the Second Degree
- Conspiracy in the Second Degree
- Wearing a Disguise During the Commission of a Felony
- And more
Understanding Robbery in the First Degree Charges
11 DE Code § 832 (2024) defines the crime of Robbery in the First Degree. Under the statute, an individual is guilty of Robbery in the First Degree when they commit the crime of Robbery in the Second Degree and when, in the court of the commission of the crime or immediate flight therefrom, the person or another participant in the robbery:
- Causes physical injury to any person who is not a participant in the crime
- Displays what appears to be a deadly weapon or represents by word or conduct that the person is in possession or control of a deadly weapon
- Is armed with and uses or threatens to use a dangerous instrument
- Commits the crime against an individual who is 65 years of age or older
- Threatens death upon another individual
Robbery in the First Degree is considered a class B felony in Delaware. Any individual who is convicted of Robbery in the First Degree will receive a minimum sentence of three years at Level V or five years at Level V depending on the circumstances of the crime.
Since the crime is based on Robbery in the Second Degree, we have to touch on that too. Under the statute, Robbery in the Second Degree is defined as:
- When, in the course of committing a theft, the person uses or threatens to the immediate use of force upon another person with intent to:
- Prevent or overcome resistance to the taking of the property or to the retention thereof immediately after the taking; or
- Compel the owner of the property or another person to deliver up the property or to engage in other conduct which aids in the commission of the theft.
If you commit the aforementioned crime with one of the aggravating factors, you are guilty of Robbery in the First Degree.
Talk to a Wilmington, DE Criminal Defense Lawyer Today
Michael W. Modica represents the interests of those who have been charged with serious crimes in Wilmington. Call our Wilmington criminal defense lawyers today to schedule an appointment, and we can begin preparing your defense immediately.
Source:
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