Delaware State Police
News Release

Camden-On Thursday, December 20, 2007, state troopers were dispatched to the Waffle House restaurant located at 4003 S. DuPont Highway, in Camden to investigate a reported armed robbery. Upon arrival, investigators learned that at approximately 4:00 a.m. two armed suspects entered the restaurant wearing hooded coats.

During this investigation detectives learned that Carl Wright, an employee of Waffle House called 911 and falsely reported the armed robbery. Another employee, Dawn Iapino, was also at the location when Wright made the phone call.

When detectives first interviewed Wright in December he stated he was behind the counter when two black males entered the restaurant through the front door. Wright stated both males displayed handguns and wore disguises.

Wright stated both the males stole money from the cash register and then used bolt cutters to cut the locks to a small black box underneath the register and also to the office door before fleeing.

The second employee, Dawn Iapino, told investigators she was in the bathroom when she heard a male subject yelling at Carl Wright. Iapino stated she turned the bathroom light off and sat there in the dark until the armed robbers left. During the course of the investigation it was learned that Iapino had in fact lied about being in the bathroom and turning the light off.

On Wednesday, January 9, 2008 detectives interviewed Wright who confessed that he falsely reported the incident by calling 911. He confessed to planning the theft and staging the false robbery.

Wright also implicated Iapino and her boyfriend Steven Sharp as accomplices and stated the three split the money after the fake robbery. On Thursday, January 10, 2008 Iapino was interviewed by detectives and confessed to falsely reporting and staging the armed robbery with Wright and Sharp.

As a result of this investigation Carl A. Wright, 23, of Dover was arrested on Wednesday, January 9, 2008 and formally charged with the following criminal offenses: Theft (Felony), Possession of Burglar Tools (Felony), Conspiracy 2^{nd Degree (Felony), Criminal Mischief (Misdemeanor), Falsely Reporting an Incident (Misdemeanor) and Malicious Interference With Emergency Communications (Misdemeanor). Wright was arraigned at the Justice of the Peace Court 2 and released on $13,000.00 unsecured bond.}

Dawn M. Iapino, 28, of Lewes was arrested on Wednesday, January 10, 2008 and formally charged with the following criminal offenses: Theft (Felony), Possession of Burglar Tools (Felony), Conspiracy 2nd Degree (Felony), Criminal Mischief (Misdemeanor), Falsely Reporting an Incident (Misdemeanor) and Malicious Interference With Emergency Communications (Misdemeanor). Iapino was arraigned at the Justice of the Peace Court 2 and released on $7,500.00 unsecured bond.