WALDORF, MD— A Charles County man hit the jackpot during a routine visit to his local lottery, winning the $50,000 top prize on a scratch-off ticket. The lucky asphalt contractor purchased his Gold Rush 7s Tripler winning ticket at the Dash In store at 30100 Three Notch Road in Charlotte Hall.

When he scratched the ticket, a “7” symbol appeared, which matched the game’s top prize of $50,000. The Waldorf resident is thrilled with his win and plans to use his newfound wealth to purchase a new truck. He shared his joy and future plans with Maryland Lottery officials.

The lucky store that sold the winning ticket will also get some of the winner’s luck: Dash In will receive a $500 bonus from the lottery for selling a scratch-off ticket with the grand prize. The Gold Rush 7s Tripler game, launched in May, originally offered eight grand prizes of $50,000. With the latest win, five grand prizes are still up for grabs, in addition to numerous other smaller prizes ranging from $5 to $5,000.

NEWARK, DE— Delaware State Police arrested three people in connection with a robbery at Ulta Beauty in Newark on March 28.

Suspects Keevis Wilkerson, Nylaa White and Secret Harris were involved in the incident, which escalated from shoplifting to a robbery.

The altercation began around 5:53 p.m. at the Ulta Beauty store at 2130 Fashion Center Boulevard when two suspicious women asked an employee to open a locked display case.

After the case was opened, a suspect pushed the employee and punched him in the face, causing minor injuries. The suspects then filled a bag with stolen merchandise and fled in a dark-colored Honda Accord driven by an unidentified third suspect.

Delaware Probation and Parole officers and Robbery Detectives from Troop 2 Robbery Detectives identified the suspects and issued arrest warrants for them. Wilkerson was arrested without incident during a traffic stop in Wilmington on April 9, 2024. He was subsequently charged with multiple felony counts. White turned herself in to Troop 1 on June 18, 2024, where she also faced multiple charges.

The pursuit of Secret Harris ended on August 3, when Christiana Mall security alerted a police officer to a shoplifting incident at Lululemon in which over $3,000 worth of clothing was stolen. Harris, who fled the scene in a black Tesla, was stopped by police as she attempted to leave the mall parking lot.

When stopped, Harris initially gave a false identity, but was eventually identified and it was discovered that she had multiple warrants out for her arrest in both Delaware and New Jersey. She was taken into custody and charged with multiple crimes by Troop 2.

This series of arrests represents an important step toward reducing shoplifting and violent incidents in Newark retail stores.

Cape May Courthouse, New Jersey— Jonathan E. Perez, a former Cape May County corrections officer, was sentenced to 30 years in New Jersey State Prison after being found guilty of several sex offenses against minors.

The verdict was delivered by Supreme Court Justice Christine Smith on Thursday, August 8.

The charges against Perez included two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a minor, both first-degree felonies, one count of sexual assault, a second-degree felony, and one count of endangering the welfare of a child, also a second-degree felony. The jury trial, which began on March 18, ended on April 12 with a guilty verdict on all counts.

This case was the result of a joint investigation by the Special Victims Unit of the Cape May County District Attorney’s Office and the New Jersey State Police Woodbine Barracks.

The investigation was launched in February 2023 following a report of abuse by a minor victim.

As part of his sentence, Perez is subject to the No Early Release Act, meaning he must serve at least 85% of his sentence before he can be released on parole.

In addition, he has been stripped of his law enforcement license issued by the Police Training Commission and is barred from holding public office or public employment. Upon his release, he will be subject to life probation and will be required to register as a sex offender.