Burglary Suspect Returns To Scene Hours Later
OCEAN CITY — A Frederica, Del. woman was arrested on burglary charges last week after allegedly returning to the same Ocean City residence for which she was charged with the same offense back in January.
On Jan. 28, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers met with a resort property owner who told police he had allowed his niece, identified as Jamie Paolini, 34, and her husband to stay at his resort residence for a weekend in December. However, when the property owner got an unusually high electric bill in January, it became apparent his niece and her husband, or perhaps someone else, had been staying in the apartment.
OCPD officers went to the apartment at 140th Street and found Paolini’s husband, Daniel Paolini, inside. Daniel Paolini told police the couple had permission from his wife’s uncle to stay in the unit. However, the property owner told police the couple had returned the key after they had stayed at the apartment for the approved weekend and were told not to return. The investigation revealed Jamie and Daniel Paolini had returned the key and then returned and entered the apartment illegally.
Around 2:30 a.m. last Wednesday, an OCPD officer located Jamie Paolini inside the unit again and arrested her on the warrant from the alleged break-in of the same unit in January. Around 9:30 a.m. last Wednesday, an OCPD officer went back the residence to ensure it was secure. The officer found the unit unoccupied, but a front window and rear sliding door were not locked. The OCPD officer secured the front window and returned to his patrol car in the rear of the property and contacted the arresting officer, who informed the officer on scene Jamie Paolini had been released and provided a description of her and the clothes she was wearing at the time of her release.
A short time later, the officer on the scene observed a woman matching Paolini’s description walking into the apartment complex. The officer went back to the apartment and found someone had tried to enter the window he had secured with a baseball bat. The officer searched the area for Paolini and found inside a broken-down vehicle in the parking lot. The officer questioned Paolini, who denied attempting to re-enter the apartment. According to police reports, Paolini told the officer she was waiting in the vehicle for someone to come pick her up from Philadelphia.
Paolini had reportedly been released from jail last Wednesday morning after being arrested for breaking and entering the apartment and immediately returned to the same apartment where she was observed by an OCPD officer attempting to break in again. Based on the evidence, Paolini was arrested and charged with burglary.
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Five-Year Sentence For Drug Distribution
SNOW HILL — A Bishopville man, arrested last August after a citizen tip led Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) narcotics detectives on a major drug distribution operation, pleaded guilty last week and was sentenced to 10 years will all but five years suspended.
Last August, the Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) Narcotics Unit and the Worcester County Criminal Enforcement Team executed a search warrant in Bishopville that led detectives to discover a significant marijuana distribution operation. Earlier last year, detectives began an investigation into a possible heroin distribution operation in the resort involving a suspect identified as Socrates G. Pikounis, 52, of Bishopville, after receiving a tip from a citizen.
The investigation led detectives to discover the suspect’s wife, identified as Brenda L. Pikounis, 54, of Bishopville, was also allegedly distributing large amounts of marijuana out of the couple’s home. Detectives executed multiple search warrants at various locations and located over 200 baggies of heroin, over $56,000 in currency, over 90 jars of marijuana, and thousands of manufactured marijuana products including edibles, cannabis oil and wax, for example.
Also discovered during the execution of the search warrants were a handgun, gold coins and silver bars worth thousands of dollars and several other items used in the sale of illegal substances. Four vehicles were also seized. A Worcester County grand jury indicted Socrates and Brenda Pikounis on numerous drug-related charges. Socrates Pikounis was charged with 14 drug-related counts and two counts of child endangerment. Brenda Pikounis was charged with 10 drug-related counts and two counts of child endangerment.
Last week, Socrates Pikounis pleaded guilty to two counts of heroin distribution and was sentenced to 10 years, all but five of which was suspended. He also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin and possession of a stolen firearm and was sentenced to 18 months on both of those counts. He was also placed on supervised probation for three years upon his release.
In December, Brenda Pikounis pleaded guilty to distribution charges stemming from the warrant service at the couple’s Bishopville residence and was sentenced to five years with all but six months suspended.
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Sex Offense Plea
SNOW HILL — An Ocean City man, charged last September with sexual offenses after admitting to having sex with a 14-year-old girl when her father noticed interactions on her Facebook page, pleaded guilty last week and was sentenced to 18 months, all of which was suspended.
Back on Sept. 7, 2017, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers took a report of a possible sexual offense involving a 14-year-old female. The female minor’s father had discovered some Facebook messages between his daughter and a man he knew as Timothy Sechrest, 22, of Ocean City, which led him to believe the suspect had a sexual relationship with his daughter.
OCPD officers interviewed Sechrest at his residence and he admitted having sexual relations with the 14-year-old girl including coitus. Sechrest further admitted having sexual relations with the victim multiple times throughout the summer months. The female victim was interviewed and acknowledged she had sexual relations on multiple occasions with the 22-year-old Sechrest. Based on the testimony, Sechrest was charged with a third-degree sex offense and committing a perverted and unnatural practice with a 14-year-old minor female.
Last week, Sechrest pleaded guilty to a third-degree sex offense and was sentenced to 18 months in jail, all of which was then suspended. He was also placed on probation for two years and was required to register as a Tier II sex offender.
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Probation For Scooter Theft
SNOW HILL — A Delaware man, arrested in October after allegedly damaging and attempting to steal a “ruckus” style motor scooter from a midtown Ocean City restaurant parking lot, pleaded guilty this week to malicious destruction of property and driving under the influence per se and was placed on probation for one year.
Just after midnight on Oct. 15, 2017, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer responded to the parking lot of a restaurant and bar at 53rd Street for a report of a damaged motor scooter. The officer met with the owner of the scooter, described as a 2012 Honda Ruckus, and observed the plastic battery box had been torn from it and cracked and six wires from the main wiring harness had been cut. The owner told police before the officer arrived, he observed a male in his 20s wearing a green shirt standing next to the scooter, but the suspect said he had nothing to do with the damage and left the area.
The OCPD officer viewed surveillance video of the parking lot and observed a suspect matching the description provided by the victim walk over to the scooter about a half an hour earlier. The surveillance video revealed for roughly the next 30 minutes, the suspect tampered with the ruckus by removing parts from it, cutting the wires and attempting to ride it away.
The officer observed in the video the suspect, later identified as Craig Chatterton, 24, of Dagsboro, Del., eventually got the scooter started and attempted to ride it, but was prevented from doing so because the handlebars were locked in a turned position. Another OCPD officer located a suspect a short time later matching Chatterton’s description.
During a post-arrest interview, Chatterton reportedly admitted he decided to steal the scooter so he could drive it back to where he was staying in Fenwick Island. While speaking with Chatterton, the officer detected a strong odor of alcoholic beverage emanating from his breath and person. Chatterton was charged with theft over $1,500 but under $25,000 and malicious destruction of property along with alcohol-related traffic charges. On Monday, he pleaded guilty to malicious destruction of property and DUI per se and was placed on probation for one year.