LA PLATA, Md. (January 31, 2019)—Tony Covington, State's Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Wednesday, January 30, 2019, Charles County Circuit Court Judge H. James West sentenced Brandy Lynn Deluca, 44 of Waldorf, to 7 years in prison for Conspiracy to Commit Home Invasion.
On October 22, 2018, Deluca entered a guilty plea to the above-mentioned charge in Charles County Circuit Court.
On March 19, 2018, officers responded to the 2800 block of Homette Place in Waldorf for the report of a home invasion. Upon arrival, officers spoke with victim Melissa Lewis, who had visible injuries. Lewis stated that two male suspects forced entry into her home, assaulted her, and demanded money.
A further investigation revealed that Lewis received a large sum of money prior to the home invasion. On the day of the incident, the victim was asleep on a couch in her home when the two male suspects entered with their faces partially covered. The suspects physically assaulted the victim and asked her where the money was located; however, the victim refused to reveal where it was. The victim's three young children were also present inside of the residence during the incident.
After a few minutes of ransacking the home, the suspects dragged the victim outside to search her vehicle. While outside, the suspects assaulted the victim—to include dousing her with gasoline—until she was unconscious. The suspects then fled in a getaway vehicle operated by Deluca.
Shortly after leaving, Deluca hit a mailbox and was stopped by an officer for a traffic violation. It was discovered during the stop that the occupants of the vehicle were involved in the home invasion. All three suspects, including Deluca, were subsequently apprehended.
Covington, commenting on the sentence, said, "Seven years is a long time for giving some folks a ride. Let this be a lesson to those that are willing to get involved in dangerous activity. You will be held accountable for every crime your cohorts commit. Unfortunately for Ms. Deluca, she is finding this out the hard way."