Members of the drug ring could face up to 20 years in prison.

Rosegate drug group could face 20 years in prison

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Police & Fire

Members of the drug ring could face up to 20 years in prison.

Members of the drug ring could face up to 20 years in prison.

Seventeen Delawareans have been charged in federal and state courts for drug conspiracy  after a multi-year and multi-agency investigation.

The defendants openly and brazenly trafficked large quantities of drugs and stored drugs in elderly community members’ homes and vehicles and paid them to store, package and sell drugs,  said David Weiss, U.S. attorney for the District of Delaware in a press release.

The organization also used an abandoned day care facility to manufacture and package counterfeit methamphetamine and fentanyl pills for resale, the release said. One of the pill presses weighed 100 pounds.

“These defendants also abused the trust of elderly Rosegate community members and flagrantly manufactured counterfeit pills in an abandoned day care,” he said. “We will pursue these charges to the fullest extent of the law, and we will continue the investigation into those who traffic illegal drugs here in Delaware.”

The effort ended with the seizure of 3.5 kilograms of counterfeit methamphetamine and fentanyl pills, 1.7 kilograms of cocaine, 11 handguns, two assault rifles, two large pill presses of 100 pounds each, 7.5 pounds of marijuana, a quarter pound of methamphetamine and $78,000.

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Dubbed Operation Cripgate, the investigation involved the FBI, the New Castle County Police Department and the Delaware State Police.

The drug trafficking organization headed by Devon Reed of New Castle and Dawann Reed of Clayton supplied illegal drugs around the state, the press release said.

The investigation focused on the Rosegate Community located off Route 9, north of I-295 and south of I-495. 

The secluded neighborhood includes 200 rowhomes on four streets and historically has been plagued by drugs, gun violence and homicides, the press release said.

Those charged with conspiracy to traffic and manufacture cocaine, methamphetamine, counterfeit fentanyl pills and marijuana in the Wilmington, Delaware metropolitan area are:

  • Devon Reed, New Castle
  • Dawann Reed, Clayton 
  • Gregory Carter, Wilmington
  • Jaywann Saunders, New Castle
  • Quincy Clark, New Castle
  • Monyae Fields-Brown, New Castle
  • Arthur Deramus, New Castle
  • Janet Cooper, New Castle
  • Alturo Smith, Wilmington
  • Airial Boyd, Wilmington
  • Ainger Gardner, Wilmington
  • Eduardo Felix, San Diego, California 

A state grand jury sitting in Wilmington also charged the following with drug and gang violations:

  • Dale Reed, New Castle
  • Michael Sullivan-Wilson, Wilmington
  • Braheim Reed, New Castle
  • Marcus Waller, New Castle
  • Derwin Evans, New Castle
  • Jahnair Murphy, New Castle

A federal grand jury in the District of New Jersey also charged George Joyce Jr. of Haddonfield, New Jersey with drug and firearm violations.

If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, although the release said actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.

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