Sussex County, Delaware – Operation Royal Flush was a multi-jurisdictional investigation into an illegal heroin trafficking organization involving multiple suspects. This operation was conducted by 11 agencies in Delaware and Maryland and has culminated with the arrest or indictment of 16 individuals on 71 charges. Multiple search warrants were executed and over 800 grams of raw heroin along with two firearms were seized, according to Delaware State Police Spokesman Director of Public Information, Sergeant Richard Bratz.
Bratz said on April 22nd, 2019 members of the Worcester County Criminal Enforcement Team, Maryland State Police Heroin Investigation Unit, Delaware State Police (DSP Sussex County Drug Unit and the DSP Governor’s Task Force) concluded an eight-month joint heroin trafficking investigation with the presentment of a multiple count indictment in Sussex County. An additional seven-count indictment was issued in Worcester County, Maryland on April 23, 2019.
The following supportive law enforcement agencies played a significant role in the overall success of the joint investigation: Delaware Department of Justice, Worcester County States Attorney’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Ocean City Police Department, Delaware Department of Correction, Pocomoke Police Department and the Millsboro Police Department.
The investigation revealed that Prince Gordon who was living in Ocean Pines, Maryland was the head of a Drug Trafficking Organization distributing quantities of heroin throughout the Sussex County Delaware and the Worcester County Maryland areas, said Bratz. The Drug Trafficking Organization was successfully dismantled as a result of the extensive collaborative efforts of several supporting federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Through the exhaustive efforts, detectives conducted lawful searches of the following locations:
Unit block of Mill Chase Circle Unit, Millsboro, Delaware
3,000 block of Savannah East Apartments in Lewes, Delaware
200 block of South Main Street, Colonial Gardens Apartments, Bridgeville, Delaware
Unit block of Duck Cove Circle, Ocean Pines, Maryland
500 block of Bay Street, Berlin, Maryland
Detectives successfully seized over 800 grams of raw heroin, two loaded handguns, nearly $11,000.00 in U.S. Currency, and two heroin processing kits including packaging materials, said Bratz. The heroin seized during this investigation was determined to have a street value of nearly one million dollars.
Prince Gordon, 32 of Ocean Pines, Maryland was indicted/arrested on the following charges:
Delaware – Criminal Racketeering, Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering, four counts of Drug Dealing with Aggravating Factor, six counts of Conspiracy 2nd Degree, five counts of Drug Dealing, three counts of Drug Dealing Tier 4, three counts of Possession of Controlled Substance Tier 5, Agg Possession Tier 1 with Aggravating Factor, two counts of Drug Dealing Tier 2 with Aggravating Factor, Agg Possession Tier 1, Criminal Solicitiation 2nd Degree and Drug Paraphernalia.
Maryland – Possession with intent to distribute Fentanyl, Possession Firearm drug trafficking crime, CDS Possession Firearms, Regulated firearm Illegal Possession, Firearm Possession with Felony Conviction, Narcotic production equipment, CDS Possession not marijuana: Fentanyl.
Committed to the Howard R. Young Correctional Center in default of $631,200.00 Cash Bond
Rodolfo Martinez, 35 of Bridgeville, was indicted/arrested on the following charges:
Criminal Racketeering, Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering, five counts of Drug Dealing Tier 4, four counts of Agg Possession Tier 5, Possession of a controlled substance, two counts of Drug Paraphernalia, Endangering the Welfare of a child, Possession of a Firearm by Person Prohibited and Possession of Ammunition by Person Prohibited.
Committed to the Sussex Correctional Institution in default of $100,000.00 Cash Bond
Britney N. Curtis, 30 of Millsboro was indicted/arrested on the following charges:
Criminal Racketeering, Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering, Maintaining a Drug Property
Released on $12,000.00 Unsecured Bond
Davon Tucker, 36 of Patterson of New Jersey, was indicted/arrested on the following charges:
Criminal Racketeering, Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering, Drug Dealing Tier 4, Agg Possession Tier 5, Criminal Solicitation 2nd Degree
Committed to the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in default of $120,500.00 Cash Bond
Laricka C. Taylor, 33 of Millsboro, was indicted/arrested on the following charges:
Criminal Racketeering, Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering, Drug Dealing Tier 4, Agg Possession Tier 5, Drug Dealing
Committed to the Department of Correction in default of $22,500.00 secured bond
Chad M. Gibbs, 34 of Ellendale was indicted/arrested on the following charges:
Criminal Racketeering, Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering, Drug Dealing Tier 4, Agg Possession Tier 5, two counts of Drug Dealing
Committed to the Sussex Correctional Institution in default of $80,000.00 Cash Bond
Keshora L. Garrison, 36 of Millsboro, was indicted/arrested on the following charges:
Criminal Racketeering, Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering, Drug Dealing Tier 4, Agg Possession Tier 5
Committed to the Department of Correction in default of $40,000.00 Secured Bond
Ortherasa L. Clark, 56 of Millsboro was indicted/arrested on the following charges:
Criminal Racketeering, Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering, two counts of Drug Dealing
Committed to the Department of Correction in default of $5,500.00 Secured Bond
Marvin L. Newbill, 34 of Federalsburg, Maryland was indicted/arrested on the following charges:
Drug Dealing, two counts of Conspiracy 2nd Degree, Drug Dealing with Aggravating Factor, Agg Possession Tier 1 W/ Agg Factor, three counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, two counts of Drug Paraphernalia, Driving while suspended, Possession of Marijuana, Speeding, two counts of No Child Restraint
Committed to the Department of Correction in default of $12,000.00 Secured Bond
Courtney E. Hayward, 29 of Delmar, Delaware was indicted/arrested on the following charges:
Possession of Heroin, Hindering Prosecution, three counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child
Released OR bond
Darshon T. Adkins, 31 of Millsboro, was indicted/arrested on the following charges:
Drug Dealing Tier 2, Conspiracy 2nd Degree
Committed to the Sussex Correctional Institution in default of $60,000.00 Secured Bond
Anthony M. Sturgis, 31 of Dagsboro, was indicted/arrested on the following charges:
Drug Dealing with Aggravating Factor, Conspiracy 2nd Degree
Released on $1000.00 Unsecured Bond
Raymond E. Jackson Jr., 31 of Millsboro, was indicted/arrested on the following charges:
Drug Dealing, Agg Possession Tier 1, Conspracy 2nd Degree
Released on $1,000.00 Unsecured Bond
**DSP is seeking the public’s assistance in locating the following WANTED subjects**
Douglas D. Best Jr., 26 of Millsboro, is (WANTED) for the following charges:
Criminal Racketeering, Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering, Drug Dealing
Sylvester J. Weaver Jr., 39 of Millsboro, is (WANTED) for the following charges:
Criminal Racketeering, Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering, two counts of Drug Dealing
Allen P. White, 33 of Milton, is (WANTED) for the following charges:
Drug Dealing with Aggravating Factor, Possession of Controlled Substance Tier 1 with Aggravating Factor, Conspiracy 2nd degree
If anyone has any information on the whereabouts of the wanted suspects they are asked to call 9-1-1 immediately and Troop 4 at 302-856-5850. Information may also be provided by calling 302-752-3815 and calling Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333, via the internet at www.delaware.crimestoppersweb.com.
“Our highest priority at DOJ is public safety, and this operation has already made our neighborhoods and our families safer by disrupting the illegal drug trade, by removing guns from the streets, and by yielding indictments in two states against 16 individuals accused of high-level drug crimes and racketeering. This was a team effort that couldn’t have succeeded without the leadership and coordination of state and local law enforcement in Delaware and Maryland, and I’m proud of the role DOJ’s Sussex County Drug Unit played in supporting the investigation and in securing these indictments.” State Prosecutor A.J. Roop, Delaware Department of Justice
“The success of Operation Royal Flush demonstrates that it will take the collaborative efforts of all of our law enforcement partners and the cooperation and support of affected communities to target and dismantle drug organizations plaguing neighborhoods across our State” said Colonel Nathaniel McQueen Jr., Superintendent of Delaware State Police. “Thank you to our troopers, prosecutors and all of our federal, state and local law enforcement partners for their outstanding work on this investigation. All of our agencies remain committed to working with our communities to reduce violent crime and drug trafficking.” Colonel Nathaniel McQueen Jr., Superintendent of the Delaware State Police
“The cooperative, multi-jurisdictional focus of Maryland State Police criminal investigations is aimed at taking down major drug traffickers responsible for bringing heroin, and other illegal drugs into the state,” Maryland State Police Superintendent Colonel William Pallozzi said. “I applaud the partnership of local, state and federal law enforcement officials who are working together to dismantle drug dealing operations.” Colonel William Pallozzi, Maryland State Police Superintendent
“The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office is committed to working with all allied law enforcement agencies to keep drugs and drug dealers off of our streets and out of our communities. Operation Royal Flush is an example of what drug dealers on the eastern shore can expect; to be arrested and held accountable for your illegal behavior.” Sheriff Matthew Crisafulli, Worcester County Sheriff’s Office
“We were pleased to be of assistance to our fellow law enforcement agencies in their recent drug arrests,” said Commissioner Perry Phelps. “The contributions to this investigation by the DOC staff ensure that we meet our public safety mandate of keeping our communities safe.” Commissioner Perry Phelps, Delaware Department of Correction