Troopers: Middletown Traffic Stop Leads To Gun, Drugs

[media-credit name=”Earl / Delaware State Police” align=”aligncenter” width=”447″][/media-credit]

Middletown – The New Castle County Governor’s Task Force (GTF) has arrested a Middletown man on gun and drug charges after being stopped for a traffic violation, according to Public Information Officer, Master Corporal Michael Austin.

Austin said on Wednesday, January 24, 2018, at approximately 9:20 p.m., GTF detectives stopped a black Chevrolet Impala, operated by Gary E. Earl Jr., 34, of Middletown, for a traffic violation, on DE Rt. 299 in the area of SR 1, Middletown, according to Austin. During the course of the traffic stop it was determined that Earl, was in violation of a court order. A subsequent search of Earl’s person revealed that he was also in possession of 6 grams of marijuana, said Austin.

An administrative search was then conducted at Earls’ residence in the 900 block of Janvier Court, Middletown. Austin said the search resulted in the location and seizure of the following:

1 Ruger 9 mm handgun
36 rounds of .45 caliber ammunition
7 rounds of 9 mm ammunition
134 grams of powder cocaine
$2,759.00 in suspected drug money

Thorpe was transported to Delaware State Police Troop 2 where he was charged with 1 count each of Possession of Cocaine in a Tier 5 Quantity, Possession with Intent to Deliver Cocaine, Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, Conspiracy 2nd Degree, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and 2 counts of Possession of Ammunition by a Person Prohibited as well as the following traffic violations: Failure to Signal and Failure to Remain within a Single Lane.

Earl was arraigned in Justice of the Peace Court #2 and then committed to the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution in lieu of $222,253.00 cash bail.

 

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