State v. Sawyer

── State v. Sawyer ── Court: Superior Court of Delaware Date: May 28, 2026 Category: General IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE STATE OF DELAWARE, ) ) Plaintiff, ) ) Case No.: 1910003546 v. ) 2001004456 ) 2003011951 WILLIAM SAWYER, ) ) Defendants. ) Submitted: May 16, 2026 Decided: May 28, 2026 OPINION AND ORDER On Defendant’s Motion for Postconviction Relief DENIED On Counsel’s Motion to Withdraw GRANTED Dominic Carrera, Esquire, Deputy Attorney General, Attorney General’s Office, Wilmington, Delaware, Attorney for Plaintiff. Kimberly A. Price, Esquire, Collins, Price, Warner, Woloshin, Wilmington, Delaware, Attorney for Defendant. Jones, J.  Having considered Defendant’s Motion for Postconviction Relief, it appears to the Court that: Sawyer Rule 61 Motion for Postconviction Relief On May 1, 2025, William Sawyer (“Sawyer”) filed the instant Motion for Postconviction Relief pursuant to Superior Court Criminal Rule 61 (“Rule 61 Motion”). After reviewing the record, Postconviction counsel filed a Motion to Withdraw on April 16, 2026. This is the Court’s decision on the matter. I. BACKGROUND AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY Sawyer’s conviction and appeals stem from three cases he had against him. The first case originates from an incident on October 5, 2019,1 when Sawyer’s now ex-wife informed Police Sawyer texted her that he was holding the gun she had in the residence. 2 Police executed a search warrant, recovered the gun, and arrested Sawyer the next day on one count of Possession of a Deadly Weapon by a Person Prohibited. 3 On October 11, 2021, a grand jury indicted Sawyer for Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited (“PFBPP”).4 The second case arose from a car chase on January 9, 2020.5 There, Police responded to a call that Sawyer broke a car window and drove away in a green truck. 6 When police tried to stop his car, Sawyer 1 Postconviction Counsel’s Appendix (“Appendix”), at A21. 2 Id. at A23. 3 Id. at A20. 4 Id. at A2, A45. 5 Id. at A9, A28-29. 6 Id. at. A28-29. 2 fled. 7 The ensuing chase led to Sawyer being indicted by a grand jury on seven charges: 1) Disregard of a Police Officer’s Signal; 2) Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle; 3) Resisting Arrest; 4) Harassment; 5) Reckless Driving; 6) Criminal Mischief; and 7) Criminal Mischief.8 The third case occurred two months later on March 26, 2020, when Police were informed that Sawyer was violating a no-contact order from the first case.9 When Police arrived and searched Sawyer, they found evidence of drugs both in his pants and where he was seated. 10 Accordingly, a grand jury indicted Sawyer on charges of Drug Possession (Methamphetamine) and non- compliance with Bond Conditions.11 John Edinger (“Trial Counsel”) represented Sawyer in all his cases.12 Sawyer resolved the second and third case by way of a guilty plea on January 17, 2023. He pled guilty to Drug Possession (Methamphetamine), Disregarding a Police Officer’s Signal and Resisting Arrest.13 The recommended sentence under this plea was for all jail time to be suspended for Level 3 Probation,14 but the parties requested to defer sentencing until after the resolution of the gun charge.15 At the plea colloquy, Sawyer advised the court he was satisfied with Trial Counsel’s representation.16 The 7 Id. 8 Appendix, at A46-48. 9 Id. at A35-36. 10 Id. at A