BISHOPVILLE — Five Delaware firefighters were arrested Friday after local law enforcement identified them as the suspects in a vandalism spree in northern Worcester County involving watermelons being thrown at mailboxes and other property from the bed of a pick-up truck.
Around 1:15 a.m. last Friday, Worcester County Sheriff’s deputies were alerted by a resident in Bishopville that several people were riding around in a dark-colored pick-up truck and smashing mailboxes. Worcester County Sheriff’s deputies and Maryland State Police converged on the area and an MSP trooper located a dark-colored pick-up truck traveling on St. Martin’s Neck Rd. near Route 90.
The trooper stopped the truck and located four individuals in the vehicle’s truck bed along with the driver. Also located in the truck bed were 29 watermelons. While one deputy assisted the MSP trooper with the suspects, another deputy began traveling the roads around Bishopville to determine the extent of the spree. The investigation revealed a total of 14 mailboxes had been damaged or destroyed, along with one Waste Management trash can and a sign for a church parsonage.
The investigation revealed the suspects had been riding along Bishopville Rd. and St. Martin’s Neck Rd. throwing watermelons at mailboxes in an attempt to destroy them. During their initial interviews, all five suspects identified themselves as Sussex County firefighters. Each admitted being involved in the crimes committed and each was arrested.
The suspects were identified as Stewart William Pryor, 28, of Millsboro; Dylan Lee Sharp, 19, of Milton; Franklin Adam Martin, 23, of Milton; Sean James Magee, 23, of Selbyville; and Addison Hill-Bittner, 22, of Rehoboth. Each was charged with 16 counts of malicious destruction of property less than $500 and one count of malicious destruction of property scheme over $500.
Each of the suspects was transported to the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office by the Ocean City Police Department and was processed. Each was taken before a District Court Commissioner and all were released pending trial.
15 Years For Theft
SALISBURY — An Ocean Pines woman, convicted in September by a Wicomico County Circuit Court judge of stealing over $300,000 from a Salisbury-area construction firm where she worked as a bookkeeper from 2007 to 2010, was sentenced on Wednesday to 15 years in prison and was ordered to pay restitution to the victim.
A Wicomico County judge last month found Diane Marie King, 53, guilty of stealing $367,907 from the local business Addcon between November 2007 and August of 2010. King acted as the company’s bookkeeper during that time period. Back in court on Wednesday, King was sentenced by Judge Kathleen L. Beckstead to 15 years in the Division of Corrections. A civil judgment was awarded to the business owner in the amount of $367,907. Wicomico County State’s Attorney Matthew Maciarello commended the Wicomico Bureau of Investigation for their work in the investigation and prosecution of the case.
Pot Dealer Sentenced
SNOW HILL — A Berlin man, arrested last March on drug dealing and weapons charges after local law enforcement executed two search and seizure warrants at different apartment complexes, pleaded guilty last week to one count of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and was sentenced to 18 months in jail, all but six months of which was then suspended.
On March 28, members of the Worcester County Criminal Enforcement Team executed two search and seizure warrants simultaneously at two residences in Berlin following a three-month investigation into an alleged marijuana distribution operation. The two residences targeted with the warrants were located at the Decatur Apartments on Old Ocean City Blvd. and the Homes of Berlin Apartments on Flower Street.
As a result of the execution of the warrants, 189 grams of marijuana, three grams of crack cocaine and various items of paraphernalia including materials used in packaging marijuana for sale were seized. Also seized was a semi-automatic handgun.
Charles L. Johnson, 25, of Berlin, was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana and crack cocaine, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and crack cocaine, unlawful possession of a regulated firearm and possession of a firearm during a drug-trafficking crime. Last week, Johnson pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and was sentenced to 18 months. All but six months of the sentence was then suspended and Johnson was placed on probation for two years upon his release and fined $500.
Assault Suspect Nabbed
SALISBURY — A Salisbury man was arrested last week on assault and theft charges from an incident dating back to March during which he allegedly assaulted his girlfriend’s mother and stole her computer monitor.
Wicomico County Sheriff’s Deputies last Friday arrested Geoffrey Fulton, 29, of Salisbury in connection with an incident dating back to March. During the incident, Fulton allegedly assaulted his girlfriend’s mother and stole her computer monitor during a dispute over living arrangements in the residence they all shared.
During the investigation, a Wicomico County Sheriff’s Deputy was able to locate the computer monitor in a local second-hand store where Fulton had allegedly sold it. The Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office obtained a warrant for Fulton, but could not locate the suspect until around 2:20 a.m. last Friday. Fulton was arrested and charged with first- and second-degree assault, theft and reckless endangerment.
Sleeper Sentenced
SNOW HILL — One of three men arrested on drug and weapons charges in June after Ocean City Police found them sleeping in a car on 5th Street pleaded guilty this week to possession of marijuana and was sentenced to 15 days, all of which was suspended in favor of probation and fine.
Around 5:50 a.m. on June 30, Ocean City Police observed a vehicle parked on 5th Street with three individuals sleeping inside, in violation of a city ordinance. As the officers approached the vehicle and woke the individuals, an odor of marijuana could be smelled from inside the vehicle. After requesting permission to conduct a search, OCPD officers located marijuana, MDMA, a concealed knife and a loaded .38 special revolver.
All three occupants were then arrested. Tyrone Winston Lee, 25, of Plymouth, Pa., and Desmond James Matthews, 22, of Willingboro, N.J., were each charged with having a handgun in a vehicle, possession of marijuana and MDMA and possession of paraphernalia. Malcolm Bates, 22, of Plymouth, Pa., was charged with possession of a handgun, possession of a concealed deadly weapon and possession of marijuana and MDMA.
On Tuesday, Matthews pleaded guilty to one count of possession of marijuana and was sentenced to 15 days. His sentence was then suspended and he was placed on probation for 18 months and fined $500. Lee and Bates each failed to appear for trial this week and each had a warrant sworn out for their arrests. They are scheduled to appear for trial in November.