Middletown Man Sentenced to Ten Years for Armed Robberies

WILMINGTON, Del. - Anthony Fields, 49, of Middletown, was sentenced on October 22, 2026, to ten years in federal prison for a January 2025 crime spree in which he robbed a Middletown restaurant and a Middletown gas station at gunpoint.

U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Hall also ordered Fields to serve three years of supervised release. Fields pleaded guilty on June 17, 2026, to two counts of Hobbs Act robbery.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 25, 2025, Fields robbed a Middletown restaurant using an apparent sawed-off shotgun with a duct-taped handle. Five days later, he robbed a Middletown gas station with the same firearm. Across the two robberies, Fields stole 23 lottery tickets, $444 in cash, and a gas station employee's cell phone. While fleeing the gas station, he carjacked an innocent bystander by stealing a vehicle at gunpoint.

Fields spent the next several days at large. He drove his victim's stolen vehicle before abandoning it at a casino in Maryland, where he spent some of his stolen proceeds. He turned himself in on February 2, 2025, after he became aware that he was being hunted by authorities, and has since remained in custody.

"In January 2025, Anthony Fields launched a campaign of terror in Middletown, threatening multiple people with a sawed-off shotgun," said U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace. "Now, Fields will spend years in federal prison, where he will not be able to do further harm to our State. I extend my thanks to the Middletown Police Department and the FBI for quickly identifying Fields and ensuring that my Office had the evidence it needed to bring this dangerous felon to justice."

"Anthony Fields recklessly put restaurant workers and gas station employees - as well as customers at each of those businesses - at risk. Those affected still carry the memories of these terrifying robberies," said FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul. "I'm proud of the collaboration and swift work done by the Middletown Police Department with the FBI's Delaware Violent Crime and Safe Streets Task Force to identify Fields and hold him accountable."

"Robberies and carjackings are serious crimes that have a significant impact on the safety and sense of security within our community. We take these offenses extremely seriously," said Middletown Police Department Chief Deputy Jon Wood. "This successful outcome is a result of the dedication of our officers and the outstanding cooperation with our federal partners. I want to thank the FBI and the United States Attorney's Office for their partnership and commitment to bringing this case to a successful conclusion."

The Middletown Police Department and the FBI's Delaware Violent Crime and Safe Streets Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin P. Pierce and Bryan C. Williamson prosecuted the case.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice's nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys' offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department's commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump's Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District CourtLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. for the District of Delaware or on PACERLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. Case No. 25-44-JLH.