Delaware State Police
News Release

Sussex Robber Linked to Multiple Burglaries – Several Others Charged as Accomplices – Guns, Drugs and Stolen Property Recovered

Released Friday, January 16, 2009

Sussex County – The Delaware State Police Troop 4 Property detectives have concluded an investigation into numerous unsolved burglaries throughout Sussex County after they were able to successfully link James I. Sweeten, 27 of Seaford to the crimes.

As previously released on January 14, 2009, Sweeten was arrested and charged with a Lewes area robbery. During the police investigation, detectives were able to implicate Sweeten as the person who committed burglaries at the following locations:

• A burglary was reported on South Drive in West Bay Park Lewes between 09/07/08 and 09/08/08. The shed door was pried open with a pry bar causing $20.00 damage. Removed from the shed were three Penn 50 International Reels with matching Penn rods with a total value of $2,400.00.

 

• A burglary was reported on Cedar Drive in West Bay Park Lewes between 12/24/08 and 12/26/08. The residence was entered via an unlocked window.  Removed from the residence was $440.00 in US Currency.

 

• A burglary was reported on South Drive in West Bay Park Lewes between 01/04/09 and 01/07/09. The side door was pried open using a pry bar causing $100.00 damage.  Removed from the house was a DVD player $100.00, Emerson TV $300.00, three Penn 50 International reel with matching rods total value $2,250.00, and one Penn 80 International reel with matching rod valued at $1,500.00. 

 

• A burglary was reported on Dogwood Drive in West Bay Park Lewes on 01/08/09. The front door was pried open using a pry bar causing $100.00 damage.  Removed from the house was a 47" Vizio TV valued at $2,000.00, Play Station 2 console valued at $200.00, CD Game valued at $50.00, jewelry box valued at $200.00, numerous pieces of jewelry valued at $8,400.00, and 240 Oxycodone 5 mg prescription pills valued at $61.00.

 

• A burglary was reported on Cedar Drive in West Bay Park Lewes between 01/06/09 and 01/09/09. The back door was pried open using a pry bar causing $200.00 damage.  Removed from the house was $20.00 in US Currency and a pillbox with pills valued at $10.00.

 

• A burglary was reported at Hazzard Auto Parts and three campers on the property located on Airport Rd Rehoboth on 01/11/09.  The side window to Hazzard Auto Parts was broken and two back doors had been pried with a pry bar causing $200.00 damage.  Entrance was made to the business and a laptop was pulled out from under the counter but it was attached to the counter with a cable and was not stolen.  A camper had the side door pried open and a window was broken causing $600.00 damage.  Removed from the camper was a DVD player valued at $50.00. A motor home had the side door pried, window pried, and slide out pried on.  Once inside several cabinets were pried on and the overhead liner was cut causing over $3,000.00 damage.  A TV and LCD backup monitor, valued at $250.00, was removed. Another camper window was pried on but entry was not made.

 

• A burglary was reported on Queen St in Camelot Rehoboth, occurring 01/10/09. The back sliding door was pried on using a pry bar causing $100.00 damage.  Removed from the residence was a Bose surround sound system valued at $1,200.00 and a XM Satellite receiver valued at $300.00.

 

• A burglary was reported on Cedar Dr in West Bay Park, Lewes between 01/05/09 and 01/07/09. The side porch was entered and then the side window was pried open using a pry bar causing $30.00 damage.  Removed from the residence was $10.00 in US Currency.

 

• A burglary was reported on Camp Arrowhead Rd Lewes between 01/05/09 and 01/10/09. The front kitchen window screen was removed and bent causing $20.00 damage.  The window was opened and entrance was made.  It does not appear as if anything was removed. 

 

Information was gained during interviews with Sweeten on January 11, 2009 in which details that would only be known by the person who committed these crimes were revealed by Sweeten. In addition, detectives successfully obtained information from him on three burglaries that had not yet been reported. 

Moreover, information was obtained that two other persons were accomplices in some of the burglaries. Richard J. Logiovino, 30 of Rehoboth Beach, was an accomplice in a few of the burglaries acting as a driver and lookout for Sweeten.

John P. O’Connor, 29 of Rehoboth Beach, was implicated as the owner of the vehicle (VW Jetta) driven by Logiovino and as a person that received stolen property from Sweeten and Logiovino.

Consequently, a search warrant was executed January 12, 2009 (2:50 pm) at Sylvan Drive at the residence of John P. O’Connor, whom owns a white VW Jetta, the same vehicle used in the burglaries. Located inside the residence was the 47" Vizio TV and Play Station 2 from the burglary on January 8.

Additionally, during the execution of the search warrant detectives from the Sussex County Governor’s task force, who were assisting with the investigation, located a loaded .32 caliber Kel Tec P32 handgun under the pillow of O’Connor’s bed and a loaded .40 caliber Glock 23 handgun in his room. Also recovered were 23 Oxycontin tablets, 94 Oxycodone tablets and $1006.00 of suspected currency obtained from the distribution of these pills.

Detectives also recovered eight ‘marijuana brownies” located in the home weighing 365 grams. These baked brownies were wrapped individually in clear plastic wrapping and contained marijuana. Detectives were alerted to these after they smelt an odor of marijuana emanating from them.

Detectives also located a loaded .22 caliber Ruger handgun in a separate bedroom that was occupied by Lee S. Stephenson, 34 of Rehoboth Beach. Additionally, 5 more Oxycodone pills were located and several drug paraphernalia items. Stephenson resides in the home with O’Connor. Neither O’Connor nor Stephenson had valid prescriptions for the recovered medications. Both were taken into custody without incident during the search warrant.

Finally, as detectives were still investigating the search warrant execution, Christopher Conway, 23 of Millsboro left a message for O’Connor’s stating he wanted to purchase some Percocet. Conway later arrived at the home while detectives were still there. He was found to be in possession of $119.00.  

As a result of this investigation, the following people were arrested for the following offenses:

• James L. Sweeten was charged with 7 counts of Burglary 2^nd degree, 4 counts of Burglary 3^rd degree, 1 count of Attempted Burglary 3^rd degree, 7 counts of Possession of Burglar Tools, 3 counts of Conspiracy 2^nd degree, 9 counts of Theft, 10 counts of Criminal Mischief, 1 count of Attempted Theft and a single count of Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Theft. He remains in the custody of Sussex Correctional Institute.
• John P. O’Connor was charged with 2 counts of Possession of a Firearm During Commission of a Felony, Possession With intent to Deliver Oxycontin, Possession with Intent to Deliver Oxycodone, Possession with Intent to Deliver Marijuana, Maintaining a Dwelling for Keeping Controlled Substances, Receiving Stolen Property and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was remanded to the Sussex Correctional Institute in lieu of a $46, 500 secured bail.
• Richard J. Logiovino was charged with 2 counts of Burglary 2^nd degree, 2 counts of Possession of Burglar Tools, 2 counts of Theft, 2 counts of Conspiracy 2^nd degree, 2 counts of Criminal Mischief and a single count of Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Theft.  He was remanded to the Sussex Correctional Institute on a $3,950 secured bail.
• Lee S. Stephenson was charged with Possession of a Firearm During Commission of a Felony, Possession with Intent to Deliver Oxycodone, Possession with Intent to Deliver Marijuana, Maintaining a Dwelling for Keeping Controlled Substances and 2 counts of Drug paraphernalia. He was remanded to the Sussex Correctional Institute in lieu of a $26,000 secured bail.
• Christopher Conway was arrested for Criminal Solicitation 2^nd degree.  He was released on an $1,000.00 unsecured bail.

### 

 

Sussex Pair Jailed on Robbery Charges

Released Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Lewes – The Delaware State Police have arrested two persons in connection with a recent robbery of Easy Money Group located on Coastal Highway in Lewes.

The investigation began after 911 was called on January 2, 2009 at approximately 6:00 pm reporting that a robbery just occurred at the aforementioned business. Investigators learned an unknown white male entered the Easy Money Group lending business wearing a partial mask in an attempt to conceal his identity from the clerk. Additionally, he placed his hand under his shirt to make it appear as if he had a weapon. The suspect then gave the clerk a plastic grocery bag and told her to give him all the money in the bag.

 

The mask however did not conceal his eyes, nose or mouth, thus allowing the clerk to get a good visual of his identity. The clerk informed investigators she knew the identity of the suspect as James I. Sweeten, 27 of Seaford. Detectives learned the clerk was familiar with Sweeten because their company had recently repossessed his vehicle (a Mazda 626) due to him not making payments. 

 

The investigation also revealed Sweeten has continually called their business and complained about the repossession and the fact that when they repossessed the vehicle, he is claiming that his transmission was damaged. During the robbery, Sweeten got away with approximately $2,015.00. 

 

Records on file with the business included a photograph of Sweeten of which employees used to positively identify him as the robber. As investigators continued the investigation they learned that Brandi M. Jackson, 24 of Millsboro assisted in the robbery by driving Sweeten to the robbery, waiting for him as he committed the robbery and fleeing the scene with him after he committed the crime.

As a result of the investigation, Sweeten was arrested without incident on January 11, 2009 for Robbery 1^st degree and Wearing a Disguise during the Commission of a Felony. He was remanded to the Sussex Correctional Institute in lieu of a $40,000 cash only bail.

Jackson was arrested on January 12, 2009 and charged with Robbery 1^st degree and Conspiracy 2^nd degree. She was remanded to the Delores J. Baylor Women’s Correctional Center in lieu of an $11,000.00 secured bail.