Delaware man sentenced to prison after kidnapping, raping woman during crime spree

A Delaware man who was convicted of kidnapping and other offenses for a multi-state crime spree in which he raped a woman at gunpoint has been sentenced to 75 years in prison, officials said.

Tonnaire McNair-Matthews, 26, was sentenced to a total of 900 months, or 75 years, in federal prison for six offenses, including kidnapping, carjacking, robbery, and related firearms offenses, according to the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Delaware. This sentencing follows Nair-Matthews’s conviction on all counts after a July 2024 trial. 

Officials said that court records and evidence presented during the four-day trial, McNair-Matthews conspired with David Hinson, 23, Michael Caldwell, 21, and Mahkiya Powell, 20, to rear-end unsuspecting drivers with a stolen Jeep Grand Cherokee and then rob the drivers when they got out to inspect their vehicles for damage. 

After three unsuccessful attempts, officials said McNair-Matthews rear-ended one victim’s vehicle. When the woman got out, McNair-Matthews abducted her at gunpoint, forcing her back into the passenger seat of her own vehicle. 

Officials said McNair-Matthews then drove the woman, against her will, from Delaware into Pennsylvania.  During the drive, McNair-Matthews demanded the PIN code for the victim’s bank cards, forced her to disrobe, and “digitally penetrated her against her will.” McNair-Matthews then stopped the vehicle and forcibly raped the victim at gunpoint. 

McNair-Matthews abandoned the victim in Pennsylvania, according to officials. He drove her vehicle back to Delaware, where he visited various convenience stores and used her stolen bank cards and PIN code to withdraw money from ATMs. 

After, officials said McNair-Matthews reunited with Hinson, Powell, and Caldwell in Wilmington. Once there, he provided them with the victim’s bank cards and PIN, as well as the firearm he had used in the carjacking and rape. 

Hinson, Powell, and Caldwell then cleaned the victim’s car and stole her purse, officials shared.

After McNair-Matthews changed clothes, officials said the four men met up at a Wilmington gas station, where law enforcement found them. McNair-Matthews and Powell quickly fled, leading officers on a high-speed chase in the stolen Jeep. 

Officials said McNair-Matthews and Powell temporarily evaded police, but McNair-Matthews was found three days later after fleeing to Maryland.

“This was a calculated, predatory attack that shattered an innocent woman’s sense of safety,” Julianne E. Murray, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, said in a news release. “The Court’s sentence delivers justice for a survivor who showed extraordinary courage.  Moreover, it sends a clear message that those who terrorize our communities with violence, intimidation, and exploitation will be pursued, prosecuted, and held fully accountable.  Finally, I commend the vigilant work of the FBI, the Delaware State Police, and the Pennsylvania State Police for swiftly bringing the defendant to justice.”