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UPDATED STORY: Kevin A. McDonald Jr. arrested on new charges, held without bail
UPDATED STORY: Abdul T. White arrested in Philadelphia
KENT COUNTY, DELAWARE (9/10/2015) Thirteen people have been arrested and three others are sought after an investigation into cocaine sales in the southern and central Kent County area, Delaware State Policee said late this afternoon.
The six-month investigation, called “Operation Spiritus,” involved the state police and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration as well as Dover and Milford police and other agencies.
Police said the effort targeted an illegal drug trafficking organization headed by Kevin M. McDonald, 41, of Magnolia.
His “significant cocaine network” in central and southern Kent was responsible for distributing more than a kilogram of cocaine in the last six months, police said.
Search warrants were executed Wednesday at 12 residential locations in Kent and northern Sussex counties:
- First block of Apple Run, Paris Villa, west of Magnolia
- 300 block of Abec Lane, Peachtree Apartments, Felton
- 2100 block of Cubbage Pond Road, east of Lincoln
- First block of Sycamore Drive, High Point Mobile Home Park, Little Heaven
- 100 block of Unity Lane, east of Farmington
- 1300 block of Layton Corners Road, west of Harrington
- First block of New St., north of Harrington
- First block of West Cherry Drive, Paris Villa, west of Magnolia
- Four separate units on Linstone Lane, Silver Lake Estates Apartments, Milford
Police said they seized:
- 1,089 grams of cocaine
- 21 grams of heroin
- 22 grams of marijuana
- Two .40 caliber handguns
- One .410 caliber handgun
- Three 9 mm handguns
- One 12 gauge shotgun
- One .223 caliber assault rifle
- Assorted ammunition
- $42,973 in suspected drug proceeds
- Two motor vehicles
- Packaging material including thousands of wax bags associated with the sale of heroin
McDonald was indicted on charges including racketeering, drug dealing, aggravated possession of cocaine, and numerous other drug offenses. He was being held at Vaughn Correctional Center near Smyrna in lieu of $41,750 cash bail.
The following also were indicted in Kent County Superior Court. They were charged with various felony crimes including racketeering, drug and weapons offenses and were being held by the Delaware Department of Correction in lieu of bonds.
- Kevin A. McDonald Jr., 22, of Felton
- Amanda Pollard, 23, of Magnolia
- Gary D. Williams, 25, of Frederica
- Taquen G. Owens, 22, of Greenwood
- James M. Smith, 30, of Harrington
The following were arrested during the execution of the search warrants and charged with various drug and weapons offenses:
- Arthur D. Stratton, 39 of Magnolia
- Teuntay C. Drummond, 22, of Milford
- Alivia Mosley, 22, of Milford
- Kashyra Cannon, 25, of Milford
- Jocquon Johnson, 22, of Milford
- Deanna Boyd, 25, of Milford
- Rhymean Floyd, 35, of Milford
Indictments have been obtained for the following, who are being sought by police:
- Abdul T. White, 30, of Dover, wanted for racketeering.
- Ashley S. Gonzalez, 25, of Harrington, wanted for racketeering.
- Frank R. Lovett, 28, of Greenwood, wanted for racketeering.
Milford police said today that White is wanted in a murder and home invasion in that city. Gonzalez also is wanted for questioning by Milford police.
If anyone has any information on these individuals, they are asked to contact Sgt. Skinner at 302-741-2798.
Tips also may be submitted anonymously through Delaware Crime Stoppers, which offers rewards, at 800-847-3333 or www.delaware.crimestoppersweb.com.
State police said these agencies assisted in the investigation:
- Dover Police Department
- Milford Police Department
- Drug Enforcement Administration
- Delaware Department of Justice
- New Castle County Police Department
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms
- Department of Correction – Probation and Parole
- Smyrna Police Department
- Harrington Police Department
- Kent County SPCA
- Kent County Code Enforcement
- Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control
- City of Harrington Code Enforcement
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