United States of America v. Kimon Burton-Roberson

Wilmington, Delaware criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping

Wilmington Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Kidnapping Resulting in Death

Kimon Burton-Roberson, age 31 of Wilmington, Delaware, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping, which resulted in the death of a Wilmington resident.



In the early hours of July 21, 2021, Kimon Burton-Roberson and co-conspirators, entered a residence in Wilmington, Delaware where they knew their victim to be staying. Mr. Burton-Roberson and others beat the victim with a blunt object until the victim was bleeding, tying the victim's hands together with zip ties. Mr. Burton-Roberson and others then forcibly removed the victim from the residence, placed the victim into Mr. Burton-Roberson's car, and drove the victim across state lines into Pennsylvania. Members of the conspiracy shot the victim in the head, leaving the victim's body in an industrial park in Delaware County, Pennsylvania.



Mr. Burton-Roberson will be sentenced on April 24, 2025. He faces a sentence of up to life in prison. Chief Judge Connolly will determine his sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.



U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, "By working together across jurisdictions, federal and local law enforcement identified the perpetrator of this heinous crime and brought him to justice. We are proud of the tireless, cooperative efforts of our law enforcement partners.”



"The Yeadon Police Department is pleased to have greatly assisted in bringing this fugitive to justice, which brings closure to this sad, epic story that had unfortunately ended up in Yeadon. We are pleased to be able to work together with our federal partners in the FBI, Department of Justice and regional authorities including our Delaware County DA's Office as well as neighboring boroughs, in bringing this matter to a close. This illustrates how cooperation between law enforcement partners can serve to the benefit of all concerned citizens."



"Crimes like these, in which actors perpetrate offenses across jurisdictional boundaries, underscore the critical importance of our strong partnerships with our partner law enforcement agencies," said Wilmington Police Chief Wilfredo Campos. "It is our hope that the charges in this case, and now this guilty plea, will bring some measure of comfort to the family of the victim in this case."



"With this plea, Burton-Roberson is being held accountable for the horrific murder and cruel disregard he showed his victim. This type of violence is intolerable," said FBI Baltimore SAC William J. DelBagno. "The FBI's Wilmington Violent Crime and Safe Streets Task Force works every day to make our community safer by removing violent criminals like Burton-Roberson from our streets. We are proud of the partnerships and dedication shown by all agencies to bring justice in this case."



This investigation involved close collaboration between the FBI, the Yeadon Borough Police Department, the Wilmington Department of Police and Delaware Probation and Parole. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin P. Pierce, Michelle L. Morgan, and Benjamin L. Wallace are prosecuting the case.



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 is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware