A New Castle County jury has found 50-year-old Kwesi Hudson guilty on 15 charges, including multiple felonies. Hudson was indicted in 2018 for a string of robberies, kidnappings, and sexual assault against three victims in February and March of 2017.
In February of 2017, New Castle County Police began investigating sexual assaults, where the suspect kidnapped the women and forced them to withdrawal money from ATMs. The first incident occurred at the Top of the Hill Apartment Complex, located on Prior Road in Wilmington. During that incident, the suspect had unlawful sexual contact with the victim police said at the time. Police said their investigation revealed that the victim was taken from the parking lot of the complex at approximately 7:45 p.m. and forced into her own vehicle by the Hudson.
Hudson then drove around the area and forced the victim to withdraw an undisclosed amount of cash from an ATM on Marsh Road, police said at the time. During the ordeal, the suspect assaulted the victim by striking her in the face and had unlawful sexual contact with the victim while in the vehicle.
Less than a week later, on Sunday. February 19, 2017, at about 7:45 p.m., a second incident occurred in the community of Arundel Apartments, near Carousel Park. Officials quickly tied the two cases together. “It appears to be related to the February 13, 2017 kidnapping at Top of the Hill Apartments”, said NCCPD Spokesman J.P. Piser.
In that case, police were dispatched to the Arundel Apartments at around 8:40 for a reported kidnapping, said Piser. When officers contacted the female victim she stated she arrived home to the apartment complex at about 7:45 p.m. when she was approached by Hudsen in the common area of her apartment building.
Hudson was wearing a black mask, dark clothing, and brandished a handgun. Hudson forced the victim into her apartment where he demanded money before physically and sexually assaulting her
Hudson then suspect then forced the victim outside and into her vehicle where he drove her to several ATMs in the Pike Creek area and forced her to withdraw an undisclosed amount of money, officials said at the time.
The suspect and victim went to the ATMs at the PNC Bank on Limestone Road, Wells Fargo on Limestone at Papermill Road, M&T Bank on Limestone Road, and the Artisan’s Bank in the Linden Hill Shopping Center. Similar to the kidnapping at Top of the Hill Apartments, Hudson spoke to himself about his intentions and plans. The victim was able to escape and call 911. She was taken to an area hospital for treatment, where she was released with non-life-threatening injuries.
The third incident occurred at the Bluffs Apartments in Pike Creek on Monday, March 6, 2017, at around 6:30 in the evening. In that case, NCCPD officers were dispatched to the area of Sheldon Drive in the Bluffs for an attempted robbery. Officers contacted the victim who stated she was walking her dog when she observed a male dressed in all black near the front door of her apartment.
Hudson approached the victim and stated he was going to rob her as he displayed a handgun. He then followed her to her apartment. When they arrived at the apartment, another adult resident answered the door. Hudson then fled on foot towards the entrance to the complex. The woman was not assaulted or injured. Officers responded to the scene and searched the area, but did not locate the suspect.
Hudson has been in custody in Pennsylvania since May 2017 after he was arrested after trying to rob a CVS in Pennsylvania. In that incident, Hudson was wearing a mask and holding employees at gunpoint when he attempted to rob a CVS in Media, according to police.
He was arrested after trying to rob a CVS in Media, Pennsylvania in May of 2017. In that incident, Hudson was wearing a mask and holding employees at gunpoint when he attempted to rob the CVS, according to police.
During the CVS robbery attempt Hudson forced the store employees into a bathroom before trying to flee, officials added. Arriving officers blocked Hudson’s escape and freed the workers. Police said that he refused to surrender for over an hour.
In August of 2018 Hudson was sentenced by a Pennsylvania court to a minimum of 20 years and a maximum of 41 years for the CVS robbery.
“These heinous crimes victimized three women and terrorized an entire community for months,” said Attorney General Kathy Jennings. “I’m grateful beyond words to the jury who rendered the right verdict, and to the prosecutors and police who brought this man to justice and made our communities safer.”
“Several years ago the citizens of New Castle County were living in fear as an unknown man stalked, sexually assaulted, and robbed women throughout this County,” said Colonel Joseph Bloch, Chief of the New Castle County Division of Police. “Through the diligent work of the lead investigator, Sergeant Charles Levy, others from our Criminal Investigations Unit, and our State and Federal partners throughout the Criminal Justice community, Hudson was convicted of these heinous crimes. I’d like to take this opportunity to both thank and congratulate Sgt. Levy and the prosecutors assigned to this case. Their commitment to seeking justice for the victims in these cases is commendable and appreciated by the citizens we serve.”
Hudson has a prior criminal record which includes several robberies in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and multiple assault convictions. A New Castle County jury convicted Hudson of the following offenses:
Rape 2nd Degree
Two (2) counts of Kidnapping 1st Degree
Two (2) counts of Robbery 1st Degree
Attempted Robbery 1st Degree
Home Invasion, a Class B Violent Felony
Attempted Kidnapping 2nd Degree
Burglary 1st Degree
Unlawful Sexual Contact 1st Degree
Aggravated Menacing
Two (2) counts of Assault 3rd Degree
Two (2) counts of Terroristic Threatening
Hudson, who is currently in prison for a prior robbery conviction, will be sentenced at a date to be determined. He faces an additional prison sentence of 29 to over 230 years.
