LAUREL POLICE SERVE SEARCH WARRANTS IN LOCAL APARTMENT COMPLEX

Laurel, DE - On July 19, 2024, the Laurel Police Department issued a public notice of increased police presence within the Hollybrook Farms Apartment Complex on Grazing Court in Laurel. The post was in reference to two simultaneous residential search warrants being executed as the culmination of two multi-month drug dealing investigations.

The search warrants resulted in the recovery of a loaded firearm and the removal of several hundred doses of dangerous heroin from Laurel's streets, resulting in four felony arrests for related charges. 

The first warrant was executed in the 800 Building, where heroin packaged for sale was located in the target residence. As a result, Ty W Weston (36) and Brittany Lake (34), both of Laurel, DE, were arrested and charged with the following crimes:

• Possession with Intent to Deliver Heroin (Class D Felony)
• Conspiracy Second Degree (Class G Felony)
• Possession of a Controlled Substance (Class B Misdemeanor)
• Possession of Drug Paraphernalia x4 (Class B Misdemeanor)

Both subjects were arraigned by the Justice of the Peace Court 2 and released on their own recognizance. Weston, who was already serving a probation sentence for a prior drug dealing conviction, was detained by the Department of Probation and Parole for a probation violation. 

The second warrant was executed in the 1400 Building, where a heroin packaging operation was discovered along with a loaded firearm in the presence of multiple juvenile residents. As a result, two subjects were arrested.

During one of the subject's arrests, he broke out of the police vehicle and fled on foot while still handcuffed. Units searched the area for the subject but were limited in resources due to the ongoing searches of both apartments.

Once the initial searches were concluded, Delaware State Police and Laurel Police Department units were dispatched to River Road in Blades for a "suspicious activity" report. The caller reported an unknown male subject going door-to-door and asking for bolt cutters.

When police arrived on the scene, the subject of the report was discovered to be the same handcuffed suspect from the search warrant. The suspect fled on foot, leading to a foot pursuit into the woods and ending with his arrest after a Taser deployment. He was transported back to the Laurel Police Department after being medically evaluated at a local hospital as a precaution. 

The suspect was identified as Devon S Mumford (31) of Laurel, DE, who was found to be a convicted felon and a person prohibited from possessing deadly weapons or firearms.

The Laurel Police Department charged him with the following crimes:

• Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony (Class B Felony)
• Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited by a Violent Felony (Class C Felony)
• Possession of a Firearm While Also Possessing a Controlled Substance (Class C Felony)
• Possession With Intent to Distribute Heroin in Tier 2 Quantity (Class C Felony)
• Possession of Ammunition by a Person Prohibited (Class D Felony)
• Possession of Heroin in Tier 2 Quantity (Class E Felony)
• Manufacturing Drug Paraphernalia x2 (Class G Felony)
• Theft Under $1500 (Class A Misdemeanor)
• Endangering the Welfare of a Child x4 (Class A Misdemeanor)
• Escape Third Degree (Class A Misdemeanor)
• Resisting Arrest (Class A Misdemeanor)
• Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (Class B Misdemeanor)

Mumford was arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2 and committed to the Department of Corrections in lieu of $147,200 cash-only bail.

In addition to the new charges, Mumford was already serving a probation sentence for a prior firearm possession conviction, and was detained by the Department of Probation and Parole for a probation violation.

Alvina Bennefield-Phillips (36) of Laurel, DE, was identified as the tenant/lessee of the target residence and charged with the following crime:

• Maintaining a Drug Property (Class F Felony)

Bennefield-Phillips was arraigned by the Justice of the Peace Court 2 and released on her own recognizance. 

The issuance of a warrant for the arrest of a subject is merely a showing of probable cause by the investigating agency related to the above incident. Once arrested, the subject is considered to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

The Laurel Police Department would like to extend thanks and appreciation to the Delaware State Police and the Department of Probation and Parole for their invaluable assistance in executing this operation safely. The Laurel Police Department will continue to take a proactive approach to combating dangerous crimes in our town for our residents, sending a strong message that this type of activity will not be tolerated in our community.

If you or someone you know has information related to this case or other criminal activity, please contact the Laurel Police Department at 302-875-2244 or by direct message to this page. Information can also be submitted anonymously to Delaware Crime Stoppers by calling 800-847-3333 or texting "KEYWORD" followed by your information to CRIMES (274637). Tips submitted to Crime Stoppers that lead to an arrest are potentially eligible for a cash reward.