Wilmington Man Federally Indicted for Possessing Over a Kilogram of Cocaine

WILMINGTON, Del. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment yesterday charging a Wilmington man with possession of over a kilogram of cocaine with intent to distribute it.

According to the indictment and statements made in open court, Aaron Cephas, a/k/a “Ace,” age 41, was the subject of a Drug Enforcement Administration investigation.  On April 10, 2023, surveillance officers saw Cephas moving bags into and out of a house in Newark, Delaware, and thereafter getting into a Jeep and driving to the 800 block of West 5^th Street in Wilmington. Law enforcement officers stopped the Jeep there, finding Alprazolam pills and $1,000 on Cephas’ person and over 80 grams of cocaine in the Jeep.  Agents subsequently searched the house in Newark where Cephas had been seen and found approximately 1 kilogram of cocaine, $27,000, and a loaded handgun magazine. 

Cephas is charged with two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine.  If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, and Thomas Hodnett, Special Agent in Charge for the Philadelphia Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration, made the announcement. The Wilmington Department of Police assisted with the investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer K. Welsh is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 23-43.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.