Lewes Man Arrested for Threats Against Laurel Business

Laurel, DE - The Laurel Police Department has arrested a 51-year-old Lewes resident following an investigation into threats made toward local business employees. Brian Rightsell was taken into custody in connection with the incident.

On March 5, 2026, at approximately 4:33 p.m., the Laurel Police Department was contacted by staff at The Insurance Market. The employees reported receiving a series of disturbing phone calls from a customer who identified himself as "Brian".

During these calls, "Brian" allegedly became disorderly. He directed obscene profanity toward an employee. The incident then escalated to include racial and religious slurs. These slurs were accompanied by threats of violence against the employee.

As the situation progressed, the owner of The Insurance Market contacted the individual to state that his business would no longer be accepted. During this conversation, the individual allegedly continued to use profanity. He also made threats indicating he would locate the owner and commit acts of violence against them.

An investigation by a Laurel Police officer confirmed that "Brian" was Brian Rightsell of Lewes, Delaware. Investigators subsequently secured an arrest warrant for Mr. Rightsell. He was charged with Disorderly Conduct, Harassment, Terroristic Threatening, and a Hate Crime.

With assistance from the Delaware State Police, Mr. Rightsell was located and taken into custody without incident. He was then turned over to the Laurel Police Department for processing.

Mr. Rightsell was arraigned through Justice of the Peace Court 2. He was released on his own recognizance bond. As a condition of his release, he was ordered to have no contact with the victims or any locations of The Insurance Market.

The Laurel Police Department stated that threats and acts of intimidation are taken seriously. The department remains committed to ensuring the safety of local residents and businesses.

Disclosure: All individuals mentioned in this article are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Eastern Shore Undercover® does not express or imply any opinion regarding the incident reported.