Seaford man arrested after traffic stop leads to stolen firearm charges

SEAFORD, Del. — A Seaford man was arrested Saturday after a traffic stop led to the discovery of a stolen handgun and drug paraphernalia, authorities said.

An officer with the Seaford Police Department observed a Nissan Maxima traveling on Chandler Street at approximately 9:47 a.m. with expired registration tags and initiated a stop, according to police.

The driver, identified as Junior Thelemarque, was the sole occupant of the vehicle. During the stop, a police K-9 conducted a scan of the vehicle and alerted to the presence of narcotics. Officers then searched the vehicle and recovered a 9mm handgun that had been reported stolen from the Delaware State Police jurisdiction, police said. Authorities also reported finding multiple items of drug paraphernalia inside the car.

Thelemarque was taken into custody and charged with receiving a stolen firearm, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a deadly weapon by a person prohibited who also possesses a controlled substance, two counts of possession of a firearm or ammunition by a person prohibited, carrying a concealed deadly weapon and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was also cited for expired registration tags.

Police said Thelemarque was arraigned in Justice of the Peace Court 3 and committed to the Sussex Correctional Institution on $92,201 cash bond.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Seaford Police Department at (302) 629-6645. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) 847-3333 or by text.