North Wilmington Men Plead Guilty to Selling Drugs From Home

WILMINGTON, Del. – Paul Adams, age 38, of Wilmington, Del., pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute cocaine out of his home in North Wilmington, announced Charles M. Oberly, III, United States Attorney for the District of Delaware.  Adam’s co-conspirator Kevin Carter, age 31, of Claymont, Del., pleaded guilty to the same charge on January 14, 2016.

According to the indictment and other court records filed in support of the guilty pleas, between September 2014 and September 2015, Adams and Carter worked together to distribute large amounts of cocaine out of Adams’ home in North Wilmington.  During that time, Adams traveled to Philadelphia to obtain cocaine, some of which Adams stored at Carter’s home in Claymont.  Adams also sold a variety of controlled substances out of his home, to include cocaine, MDMA (a synthetic psychoactive drug commonly known as “ecstasy”), heroin, and marijuana.

Both Adams and Carter were arrested on September 1, 2015, at which time search warrants were executed on their homes.  Agents seized three loaded semi-automatic handguns, one semi-automatic rifle, over one kilogram of cocaine, nearly 150 grams of MDMA, 7.3 grams of heroin, marijuana, a hydraulic cocaine press, and $13,571 in cash.

Both men remain in custody pending their sentencing hearings.  Carter’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 14, 2016, and Adams’ sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 28, 2016.  They each face a maximum penalty of 40 years imprisonment, with a mandatory minimum of five years.

This case is the product of an investigation conducted by the DEA HIDTA Group 41, which is part of the New Castle County HIDTA, a collaborative effort established in January 2015 among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.  The DEA HIDTA Group 41 includes members from the following agencies: DEA, Delaware State Police, New Castle County Police Department, Newark Police Department, Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, Delaware Department of Corrections – Probation and Parole, and the Delaware Attorney General’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth L. Van Pelt is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.