Delaware News

DNREC Environmental Crimes Unit arrests two Wilmington men on multiple drug and weapon-related charges

Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control | Division of Community Affairs | Date Posted: Friday, January 3, 2020


Picture of the ECU shield of the DNREC Police

DOVER – DNREC’s Delaware Natural Resources Police Environmental Crimes Unit arrested two Wilmington men Dec. 31 and charged them with numerous drug- and weapon-related crimes after a traffic stop on Route 1 southbound led to discovery of crack cocaine in their possession. One of the men arrested had multiple warrants outstanding with the Wilmington Police Department, including first-degree robbery, carrying a concealed deadly weapon, and resisting arrest.

Joseph B. Coverdale
Jamar Smith

After pulling over the vehicle and making contact with the driver, Jamar Smith, 30, and passenger Joseph B. Coverdale, a DNREC ECU officer detected an odor of marijuana. An ECU search of the vehicle and the two occupants yielded 27.39 grams of crack cocaine and 1 gram of marijuana.

In connection with the traffic stop, Smith was charged by DNREC ECU with one count each of the following: manufacture/delivery of, or possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance in a tier 3 quantity; conspiracy second degree – agreement to engage in felony criminal conduct; possession of drug paraphernalia not related to personal use quantity of marijuana; possession of marijuana, and failure to signal continuously when moving right, left, or turning.

In connection with the traffic stop, Coverdale was charged with one count of each of the following: manufacture/delivery of, or possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance in a tier 3 quantity; tampering with physical evidence; conspiracy second degree – agreement to engage in felony criminal conduct; possession of drug paraphernalia not related to personal use quantity of marijuana; and possession of marijuana. Coverdale had multiple warrants outstanding with the Wilmington Police Department for the following charges: robbery first degree; possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony; carrying a concealed deadly weapon – firearm; conspiracy first degree; burglary second degree; and resisting arrest.

Following the traffic stop and initial charges, the Delaware State Police Governor’s Task Force and Delaware Probation and Parole conducted a search of a residence on Deville Circle in Wilmington that yielded 11 bags of heroin and a loaded 9-mm handgun.

In connection with the Deville Circle residential search, Smith was also charged by Delaware State Police with one count each of the following: possession, purchase, own or control of a deadly weapon, semi-automatic weapon, or automatic weapon by a person prohibited, who also possesses a controlled substance; possession, purchase, own or control of a firearm/destructive weapon if previously convicted of two violent felonies on separate occasions; possession, purchase, own or control of a firearm or ammunition by a person prohibited due to a prior violent crime or felony conviction; and possession or consumption of a controlled or counterfeit substance except human growth hormone without a prescription; and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child by committing a Title 16 offense with a child in the dwelling.

Both men were video-arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 7 in Dover. Smith was committed to the Sussex Correctional Institution in Georgetown on $26,226 secured bond. Coverdale was committed to the same facility on $78,400 cash bond.

Delawareans are encouraged to report environmental violations to DNREC’s Natural Resources Police Environmental Crimes Unit by calling the 24-hour environmental complaints line at 800-662-8802.

Media contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902.

-End-

image_printPrint

Related Topics:  , ,


Graphic that represents delaware news on a mobile phone

Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.

Here you can subscribe to future news updates.

DNREC Environmental Crimes Unit arrests two Wilmington men on multiple drug and weapon-related charges

Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control | Division of Community Affairs | Date Posted: Friday, January 3, 2020


Picture of the ECU shield of the DNREC Police

DOVER – DNREC’s Delaware Natural Resources Police Environmental Crimes Unit arrested two Wilmington men Dec. 31 and charged them with numerous drug- and weapon-related crimes after a traffic stop on Route 1 southbound led to discovery of crack cocaine in their possession. One of the men arrested had multiple warrants outstanding with the Wilmington Police Department, including first-degree robbery, carrying a concealed deadly weapon, and resisting arrest.

Joseph B. Coverdale
Jamar Smith

After pulling over the vehicle and making contact with the driver, Jamar Smith, 30, and passenger Joseph B. Coverdale, a DNREC ECU officer detected an odor of marijuana. An ECU search of the vehicle and the two occupants yielded 27.39 grams of crack cocaine and 1 gram of marijuana.

In connection with the traffic stop, Smith was charged by DNREC ECU with one count each of the following: manufacture/delivery of, or possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance in a tier 3 quantity; conspiracy second degree – agreement to engage in felony criminal conduct; possession of drug paraphernalia not related to personal use quantity of marijuana; possession of marijuana, and failure to signal continuously when moving right, left, or turning.

In connection with the traffic stop, Coverdale was charged with one count of each of the following: manufacture/delivery of, or possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance in a tier 3 quantity; tampering with physical evidence; conspiracy second degree – agreement to engage in felony criminal conduct; possession of drug paraphernalia not related to personal use quantity of marijuana; and possession of marijuana. Coverdale had multiple warrants outstanding with the Wilmington Police Department for the following charges: robbery first degree; possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony; carrying a concealed deadly weapon – firearm; conspiracy first degree; burglary second degree; and resisting arrest.

Following the traffic stop and initial charges, the Delaware State Police Governor’s Task Force and Delaware Probation and Parole conducted a search of a residence on Deville Circle in Wilmington that yielded 11 bags of heroin and a loaded 9-mm handgun.

In connection with the Deville Circle residential search, Smith was also charged by Delaware State Police with one count each of the following: possession, purchase, own or control of a deadly weapon, semi-automatic weapon, or automatic weapon by a person prohibited, who also possesses a controlled substance; possession, purchase, own or control of a firearm/destructive weapon if previously convicted of two violent felonies on separate occasions; possession, purchase, own or control of a firearm or ammunition by a person prohibited due to a prior violent crime or felony conviction; and possession or consumption of a controlled or counterfeit substance except human growth hormone without a prescription; and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child by committing a Title 16 offense with a child in the dwelling.

Both men were video-arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 7 in Dover. Smith was committed to the Sussex Correctional Institution in Georgetown on $26,226 secured bond. Coverdale was committed to the same facility on $78,400 cash bond.

Delawareans are encouraged to report environmental violations to DNREC’s Natural Resources Police Environmental Crimes Unit by calling the 24-hour environmental complaints line at 800-662-8802.

Media contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902.

-End-

image_printPrint

Related Topics:  , ,


Graphic that represents delaware news on a mobile phone

Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.

Here you can subscribe to future news updates.