Sewell found guilty in all but one shooting charge

A Superior Court jury has found a Millsboro man guilty of shooting another man during a 2013 party in West Rehoboth.

The jury found Derrick Sewell guilty of eight of the nine charges filed againts him: first-degree assault, aggravated menacing, second-degree conspiracy, offensive touching and all but one of the weapons charges. He was found not guilty for one of the possession of a deadly weapon by a person prohibited, said his attorney John Brady.

The 24-year-old Sewell faces about 86 years in prison for the charges.

"I essentially call that life," Brady said.

Brady had argued that Sewell did not shoot a gun that injured a West Rehoboth party-goer in the leg. Delaware State Police and Deputy Attorney General Adam Gelof said all but a few witnesses at the party saw Sewell shoot the man.

According to a 2013 police report, Sewell, Rakeem Conquest, then 18, and Precious Tiggs, then 22, went to the West Rehoboth party to confront a party-goer. Police said Conquest pulled out a gun first but the victim knocked it out of Conquest's hand. Tiggs then gave Sewell a second gun, which Sewell fired at the victim's leg, police said.

Conquest pleaded guilty to first-degree assault, conspiracy, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a person prohibited; Tiggs is serving a year in prison for possession of ammunition by a person prohibited, Brady said.

Sewell has been in Sussex Correctional Institution since his 2013 arrest.

Brady said Sewell will be sentenced at 9:30 a.m. Friday, May 23, in Sussex County Superior Court.