OGLETOWN, DELAWARE (1/17/2015) A 37-year-old Newark man has been charged with buying stolen items for cash or drugs and reselling them on Craigslist, state police said Friday.
Samuel D. Lewis allegedly ran the fencing operation out of an auto shop he owned on Mill Park Court in Ogletown.
Lewis would routinely obtain stolen items, including vacuum cleaners, razor blades, electronics, power tools, and clothing, in exchange for cash or illegal drugs, Master Cpl. Jeffrey Hale said, then sell them at a discounted price on his Craigslist.org account.
Hale said troopers searched the auto shop Jan. 9 and found numerous items valued at over $10,000 which appeared to have been stolen from assorted retail establishments, in addition to more than 72 grams of marijuana, .58 grams of heroin, 30 Buprenorphine tablets, 87 Amphetamine tablets and multiple rounds of handgun ammunition.
Lewis was charged with possession of a controlled substance in a Tier II quantity, possession of a controlled substance in a Tier IV suantity, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, possession of human growth hormone, possession of drug paraphernalia and receiving stolen property. He was released after posting $65,300 cash bail, Hale said.
Troopers are working to return the stolen merchandise.