The Delaware Department of Correction(DOC) has issued an alert following the unauthorized departure of an offender from the Plummer Community Corrections Center (PCCC) in Wilmington.
Officials said the individual, identified as Mikel Paoletti, failed to return from an approved work pass, leading to a Warrant for Escape after Conviction being issued against him.
Paoletti, a 25-year-old from Newark, was last seen on December 6, 2023. He is described as a white male, 5’08” in height, weighing 180 pounds, with hazel eyes and brown hair. Notable features include tattoos on his left and right forearms. At the time of his disappearance, he was wearing a black knit hat, a black and grey jacket, tan pants, and dark work boots.
Paoletti was arrested last year for aggravated menacing and terroristic threatening following an incident involving a machete. At the time officials said the incident occurred on August 3, 2022, when Paoletti engaged in a verbal altercation with a 62-year-old male at a Park and Ride location in Wilmington. Police said at the time that during the confrontation, he threatened the victim with a machete. In the DOC’s statement officials said that Paoletti is currently serving time for a hate crime.
The Delaware Department of Correction, along with law enforcement authorities, is actively seeking information regarding Paoletti’s whereabouts. The public is urged to contact (800) 542-9524 or their local police department with any relevant information.
PCCC, a Level 4 facility, is designed for the management of offenders transitioning back into the community. Unlike Level 5 prisons, these centers allow offenders to leave for work, job-seeking activities, or approved treatment sessions, reflecting their lower security level.