Two search warrants lead to four arrests in drug dealing investigation
LAUREL, Del. – Friday, the Laurel Police Department executed two search warrants in the Hollybrook Farms Apartment Complex, leading to four felony arrests.
This was the culmination of two separate long-term drug dealing investigations, according to police. In their searches, they recovered a loaded firearm and hundreds of doses of heroin.
The first warrant, in the 800 building of the apartment complex, uncovered heroin packaged for sale. As a result, 36-year-old Ty Weston and 34-year-old Brittany Lake were arrested and charged with: Possession with Intent to Deliver Heroin (Felony), Conspiracy Second Degree (Felony), Possession of Controlled Substance (Misdemeanor), Possession of Drug Paraphernalia x4 (Misdemeanor).
Weston and Lake were arraigned by the Justice of the Peace Court 2. Weston was detained by the Department of Probation and Parole, because he was already serving a probation sentence for a previous drug dealing conviction.
The second warrant, in the 1400 building, found a heroin packing operation and a loaded firearm with multiple juvenile residents present. This led to the arrest of two suspects.
One suspect managed to break out of a police vehicle and fled on foot while in handcuffs. Units searched the area but, according to police, resources were limited at the time due to the simultaneous searches in both apartment, so police were unable to locate the suspect initially.
Later, units from both the Laurel Police Department and Delaware State Police were dispatched to the area of area of River Road in Blades after reports of a male knocking on doors asking residents for bolt cutters.
Arriving on-scene, police discovered that the unknown male was the same suspect that had fled from the search warrant. The suspect fled once again, leading to a foot pursuit in the woods, where the suspect was ultimately apprehended after the use of a taser.
The suspect, 31-year-old Devon Mumford, was medically evaluated at a local hospital as a precaution before being transported back to the Laurel Police Department.
Mumford was charged with seven felonies, including: Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, Possession of Firearm While Also Possessing Controlled Substance, and Possession With Intent to Distribute Heroin in Tier 2 Quantity.
He was also charged with five misdemeanors, including: Theft Under $1500, Resisting Arrest, and four counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child.
Mumford was arraigned by Justice of Peace Court 2, and committed to the Department of Corrections on $147,000 cash-only bail. He was already serving a probation sentence for a previous firearm possession charged and was detained by the Department of Probation and Parole.
The other arrest from the second warrant was Alvina Bennefield-Phillips, who police identified as the tenant of the target residence.
She was charged with Maintaining a Drug Property (Felony), and arraigned by the Justice of the Peace Court 2 before being released on her recognizance.
