Trigger Warning: Rape

Rape Defendants Sentenced to 93 & 73 Years Following 2021 Home Invasions, Getaway Driver Sentenced to 16 Years

NORFOLK, Va. — Deandre Lamont Ward was sentenced to serve 93 years in prison for a 2021 incident in which Mr. Ward and a co-defendant, Dameron Shaikeem Wright, robbed two men, invaded the home of the mother of one of those victims, stole her cash savings, and raped her, all while a third co-defendant, Zyrail Ladontay Mitchell, waited outside as a getaway driver.

Mr. Ward and Mr. Wright, both 22, pleaded guilty to their roles in the robberies and rapes in September 2023, and Mr. Wright was sentenced in September 2024 to serve 73 years in prison. Mr. Mitchell, 23, was convicted of his crimes related to the robberies following a bench trial in March 2024 and was sentenced last August to serve 16 years in prison.

On Oct. 2, 2021, Mr. Wright and Mr. Ward approached the two male victims outside of their Virginia Beach apartment, displayed firearms, and walked the victims inside to begin rifling through their belongings. Mr. Mitchell, who was acquainted with one of the victims, waited out of sight to avoid recognition until the others were inside the residence. Mr. Wright and Mr. Ward placed items they stole from the victims outside, and Mr. Mitchell took the items to his car from there. At one point, the victim who knew Mr. Mitchell overheard Mr. Mitchell speaking outside and recognized his voice. Mr. Mitchell’s cell phone GPS records that were later recovered also traced him to the victims’ apartment during that time. When they were done taking items from the Virginia Beach apartment, Mr. Ward and Mr. Wright demanded money and demanded to be driven to the home of one victim’s mother in Norfolk. Mr. Ward and Mr. Wright directed that victim at gunpoint to drive the group of them to Norfolk using his car. Mr. Mitchell followed separately in his vehicle.

At the victim’s mother’s apartment in Norfolk, Mr. Ward and Mr. Wright rushed into the unit after she answered the front door for the two victims. Still armed, the pair ordered everyone to get on the ground and demanded thousands of dollars from the mother. She handed them $800 in cash from a recent paycheck, but the defendants demanded more money. The defendants then directed the three victims into a bedroom and tied their hands. Throughout the time that Mr. Ward and Mr. Wright were inside, they communicated through text messages and phone calls with Mr. Mitchell, who waited outside.

Mr. Ward remained in the bedroom with the victims while Mr. Wright searched the residence for more money. While holding her at gunpoint and taunting her son, Mr. Ward forced the mother to perform oral sex on him and then raped her in front of her son, saying, “Look what I’m doing to your mom.” When Mr. Wright returned to the bedroom, he and Mr. Ward began ransacking the room and took more cash belonging to the mother. Mr. Wright then ordered the mother into a different bedroom, where he proceeded to also force her to perform oral sex on him and rape her before Mr. Ward raped her a second time. Mr. Wright and Mr. Ward then forced her into a large dog cage inside the room before leaving the residence in Mr. Mitchell’s car.

Minutes after driving away, the three defendants returned to the apartment, one went back inside to retrieve a cell phone that had been left behind, and the three left again.

Norfolk Police responded to the residence shortly thereafter and helped the woman undergo a sexual assault examination at Chesapeake Forensic Specialists. The police seized the linens from the rooms where Mr. Ward and Mr. Wright raped the victim, and the linens were later found to contain DNA from Mr. Ward and Mr. Wright. Police in Norfolk and Virginia Beach arrested Mr. Ward and Mr. Wright in the days following the incident, and Mr. Mitchell was arrested in December 2021.

On Sept. 13, 2023, Mr. Wright pleaded guilty to rape, forcible sodomy, abduction with intent to defile, armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, and three counts using a firearm in the commission of those felonies. On the same day, Mr. Ward pleaded guilty to the same charges with an additional count each of rape and forcible sodomy. There was no agreement to what sentence either defendant would receive. Judge Tasha D. Scott accepted both of their guilty pleas. Mr. Wright later received an active prison sentence of 73 years. On May 9, 2025, Judge Scott sentenced Mr. Ward to serve 93 years in prison.

Mr. Mitchell pleaded not guilty to his robbery- and burglary-related charges and opted to be tried by a judge. After hearing the evidence, Judge Mary Jane Hall found Mr. Mitchell guilty of armed robbery, armed burglary, three counts of abduction, five counts of conspiring to commit those felonies, and five counts of using a firearm in the commission of those felonies. At Mr. Mitchell’s sentencing hearing, Judge Hall dismissed the conspiracy charges (following a motion made by Mr. Mitchell’s defense lawyer) and sentenced Mr. Mitchell to serve 16 years in prison on the remaining charges.

Each of the defendants were ordered to be of uniform good behavior and have no contact with the victims, and Mr. Mitchell must comply indefinitely with supervised probation following his release.

“The sentencing of Mr. Ward ends a long process in the justice system that began with the aggravated crimes that Mr. Ward, Mr. Wright, and Mr. Mitchell committed, robbing a man in one city, abducting him, and then robbing and raping his mother, all while taunting the man and his mother,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “These were not crimes of impulse. They were crimes of premeditation that shock the conscience. Each of these men got his due process, and at the end, each man received a sentence that took into consideration the harm and trauma he had inflicted. We will continue to focus our office’s resources on crimes like this: where people have terribly and unjustifiably hurt our fellow human beings.”

Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Shavaughn N. Banks and former Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Melinda F. Seemar prosecuted each of the defendants’ cases on behalf of the Commonwealth, and Norfolk Police Detective Jason E. Myers led the investigation.

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March 20, 2024

Trigger Warning: Sexual Assault

Judge Convicts Man of Robbery, Burglary, Abduction, for Aiding Rape Defendants in 2021 Home Invasion

NORFOLK, Va. – A judge convicted 22-year-old Zyrail Ladontay Mitchell on Monday of armed robbery, armed burglary, abduction, and several conspiracy and firearm-related charges for assisting his co-defendants in two home invasions and acting as their getaway driver after the men held three victims at gunpoint and sexually assaulted one.

Mr. Mitchell, along with 20-year-olds Dameron Shaikeem Wright and Deandre Lamont Ward, robbed two 18-year-olds at their Virginia Beach apartment on Oct. 2, 2021. Mr. Wright and Mr. Ward approached the two victims outside their apartment, displayed firearms, and walked the victims inside to begin rifling through their belongings. Mr. Mitchell, who was acquainted with one of the victims, waited out of sight to avoid recognition until the others were inside the residence. Mr. Wright and Mr. Ward placed items they stole from the victims outside, and Mr. Mitchell transported the items to his car. At one point, the victim who knew Mr. Mitchell overheard him speaking outside and recognized his voice. Mr. Mitchell’s cell phone GPS records that were later recovered also traced him to the victims’ apartment during that time.

During the robbery in Virginia Beach, Mr. Ward and Mr. Wright demanded money from the victims and demanded to be driven to one of the victim’s mother’s home in Norfolk. Holding that victim at gunpoint from the back seat, Mr. Ward and Mr. Wright directed him to drive from Virginia Beach to Norfolk. Mr. Mitchell followed in his vehicle.

After arriving at the Norfolk residence, Mr. Ward and Mr. Wright rushed into the apartment behind the two victims after the mother answered the front door. Still armed, the defendants ordered everyone to get on the ground and demanded thousands of dollars from the mother. She handed them $800 in cash from a recent paycheck, but the defendants demanded more money. The defendants then directed the three victims into a bedroom and tied their hands.

Mr. Ward remained in the bedroom with the victims while Mr. Wright searched the residence for more money. While holding her at gunpoint and taunting her son, Mr. Ward forced the mother to perform oral sex on him and then raped her in front of her son, saying "Look what I’m doing to your mom.”

When Mr. Wright returned to the bedroom, he and Mr. Ward began ransacking the room and took more cash belonging to the mother. Mr. Wright then ordered the mother into a different bedroom, where he proceeded to also force her to perform oral sex on him and rape her before allowing Mr. Ward to rape her a second time. Mr. Wright and Mr. Ward then forced the mother into a dog cage inside the home before leaving the residence.

Throughout the time that Mr. Ward and Mr. Wright were inside, they communicated through text messages and phone calls with Mr. Mitchell, who waited outside. Mr. Mitchell then served as his co-defendants’ getaway driver. The three defendants returned to the residence minutes later, one went back inside to retrieve a cell phone that had been left behind in a bedroom, and the three left again.

Norfolk Police responded to the residence shortly thereafter and helped the woman undergo a sexual assault examination at Chesapeake Forensic Specialists. The police seized the linens from the rooms where Mr. Ward and Mr. Wright raped the victim, and the linens were later found to contain DNA from Mr. Ward and Mr. Wright. Both defendants were arrested by Norfolk and Virginia Beach Police in the days following the incident.

On Sept. 13, 2023, Mr. Wright pleaded guilty to rape, forcible sodomy, abduction with intent to defile, armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, and three counts of the use of a firearm in the commission of those felonies. Mr. Ward pleaded guilty to the same charges with an additional count each of rape and forcible sodomy. There is no agreement on either defendant’s sentence. Judge Tasha D. Scott accepted both pleas, and both defendants are docketed for sentencing on July 1.

For aiding Mr. Ward and Mr. Wright’s crimes, Judge Mary Jane Hall found Mr. Mitchell guilty following a bench trial on Monday of armed robbery, armed burglary, three counts of abduction, five counts of conspiring to commit those felonies, and five counts of using a firearm in the commission of those felonies. Mr. Mitchell is docketed for sentencing on June 21.

“The survivors of this crime experienced unimaginable trauma at the hands of these three defendants,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “We wish the survivors peace as they heal, and we thank them for their bravery in testifying at trial. We will not tolerate violent sex crimes like this in Norfolk, and we will seek sentences against these defendants that fit their crimes.”

Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Shavaughn N. Banks and Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Melinda F. Seemar are prosecuting each of the defendants’ cases on behalf of the Commonwealth, and Norfolk Police Detective Jason E. Myers led the investigation. 

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Sept. 13, 2023

Trigger Warning: Sexual Assault

Two Norfolk Men Convicted of Armed Robbery, Rape in 2021 Home Invasion

NORFOLK, Va. – On Wednesday, 20-year-olds Dameron Shaikeem Wright and Deandre Lamont Ward were convicted in Norfolk Circuit Court of rape, forcible sodomy, abduction with intent to defile, and armed robbery among other charges after pleading guilty to robbing a Norfolk mother and her son at gunpoint inside her home and to sexually abusing the woman.

On Oct. 2, 2021, Mr. Wright and Mr. Ward commenced a robbery against the woman’s son and his friend in Virginia Beach. The defendants forced the son and friend into a vehicle, and the defendants held the son at gunpoint from the back seat while directing him to drive from Virginia Beach to his mother’s Norfolk residence.

After arriving at the Norfolk residence, the defendants rushed into the home behind the son and friend when the mother answered the front door. Still armed, the defendants ordered everyone to get on the ground and demanded thousands of dollars from the mother. She handed them $800 in cash from a recent paycheck, but the defendants demanded more money. The defendants then directed the three victims into a bedroom and tied their hands.

Mr. Ward remained in the bedroom with the victims while Mr. Wright searched the residence for more money. While holding her at gunpoint and taunting her son, Mr. Ward forced the mother to perform oral sex on him and then raped her in front of her son, saying "Look what I’m doing to your mom.” 

When Mr. Wright returned to the bedroom, he and Mr. Ward began ransacking the room and took more cash belonging to the mother. Mr. Wright then ordered the mother into a different bedroom, where he proceeded to also force her to perform oral sex on him and rape her before handing her over to Mr. Ward to rape her a second time. Mr. Wright and Mr. Ward then forced the mother into a dog cage inside the home before leaving the residence.

Norfolk Police responded to the home shortly thereafter and helped the woman undergo a sexual assault examination at Chesapeake Forensic Specialists. The police seized the linens from the rooms where Mr. Ward and Mr. Wright raped the victim, and the linens were later found to contain DNA from Mr. Ward and Mr. Wright. Both defendants were arrested by Norfolk and Virginia Beach Police in the days following the incident.

On Wednesday, Mr. Wright pleaded guilty to rape, forcible sodomy, abduction with intent to defile, armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, and three counts of the use of a firearm in the commission of those felonies. Mr. Ward pleaded guilty to the same charges with an additional count each of rape and forcible sodomy. There is no agreement on either defendant’s sentence. Judge Tasha D. Scott accepted both pleas, and both defendants are docketed for sentencing on Dec. 15.

Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Shavaughn N. Banks and Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Melinda F. Seemar are prosecuting Mr. Wright’s and Mr. Ward’s cases on behalf of the Commonwealth. Norfolk Police Investigator J. E. Myers led the investigation of the case. 

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