Four Delawareans have been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to the largest fentanyl seizure in the First State’s history, the Department of Justice announced Tuesday.
If convicted, the men could face maximum sentences ranging between 20 years and life in prison.
The indictment comes as drug use continues to climb in the First State, with potent drugs like fentanyl and xylazine — both of which were found in the possession of the four indicted men — pushing overdose rates to record highs.
What was the case?
Court documents obtained by Delaware Online/The News Journal show that the Dover-area drug trafficking organization — which was operated primarily by members of one family — sold large quantities of fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine throughout Kent County between Jan. 31 and May 17, when police executed search warrants on their bases of operation.
Officers found 7.5 grams of fentanyl, 10 kilograms of powder cocaine, over a kilogram of crack cocaine, about 280 grams of methamphetamine, 300 grams of xylazine, $70,000 in cash and multiple illegally-owned guns across the seven homes and “stash apartments” used by the network of suppliers and dealers, according to the Department of Justice.
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It was enough drugs to potentially kill at least 400,000 Delawareans, Dover Police Chief Thomas A. Johnson, Jr. said in a statement.
Officials and advocates are especially concerned about the amount of xylazine present, as the spread of the animal tranquilizer into the fentanyl supply is posing new challenges in the fight to reduce overdoses.
“The threat to public health and safety found in these cases is something that requires policing organizations to share information and resources in order to protect the vulnerable,” Johnson said.
How were they caught?
The indictment comes after months of investigations by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Delaware State Police, according to court documents. The operation involved surveillance, undercover officers, confidential informants, phone records and eventually, search warrants.
Court records show that an undercover officer purchased drugs five times from one of the indicted men, a 47-year-old man from Dover. The deals often took place at Grotto’s Pizza in Dover, though police reported they also commonly observed the group selling drugs at The Green Turtle.
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The 47-year-old man received his drugs from a 51-year-old man also named in the indictment, according to court records, and phone data showed the two communicating before and after deals. Police also observed fentanyl and methamphetamine being transferred between the two men.
Court records show that police focused much of their surveillance on the 51-year-old supplier, who had been previously incarcerated for dealing cocaine and whose family was also involved in the drug trafficking operation. Officers tapped two of the man’s phones, tracked his location and watched him over the course of multiple months.
They discovered that the man, who was indicted on 15 charges and faces the heaviest sentence of the four people indicted, sold drugs to both users and dealers.
In some instances, police would overhear the 51-year-old arranging drug deals and follow him as he got the substances and met with customers.
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Court documents outlined one case in which a customer “ordered ‘10’ for ‘7 bands,'” leading the police to follow the man to two of his houses and then to the Green Turtle in Newark to meet with the customer.
When police later pulled the customer over on I-495, they found him in possession of about 10 ounces of cocaine.
Further investigation by police and the DEA showed the involvement of all four men indicted, with some acting as both suppliers and dealers and others just purchasing the drugs to sell themselves. Warrants were issued for all four men’s arrests on July 6.
How to find help
Delaware Hope Line: 833-9-HOPEDE for free 24/7 counseling, coaching and support, as well as links to mental health, addiction and crisis services. Resources also can be found on the Help is Here website.
Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988
SAMHSA National Helpline: 800-662-HELP (4357) for free 24/7 substance abuse disorder treatment referral services. Treatment service locators also are available online at findtreatment.samhsa.gov or via text message by sending your ZIP code to 435748.
Editor’s note: In recent years, Delaware Online/The News Journal has changed its approach to covering crime and courts and typically does not identify people charged for all but the most serious cases, such as murder. Delaware Online also does not typically publish names unless the crime had a larger impact on the public or it involved a public official.
Send story tips or ideas to Hannah Edelman at hedelman@delawareonline.com. For more reporting, follow them on Twitter at @h_edelman.
