(Newark, DE) On May 19th, 2023, at approximately 10 p.m. The New Castle County Division of Police Mobile Enforcement Team were conducting property checks of Weiss Park. The Division of Police has received numerous calls and complaints from citizens about quality-of-life issues within the parkland. Citizens also called in on the night of the 19th to report loud music, ATVs/dirt bikes, people, and vehicles in the parkland after dark.
Members of the Mobile Enforcement Team observed a black Nissan Altima parked in the parkland near the basketball court with multiple individuals gathered around the vehicle. Due to all County Parklands being closed at dusk and it being nearly 10pm, well after dusk, police contacted the group. In total six (6) subjects were contacted within the vehicle.
While detaining a juvenile male within the group, a small amount of marijuana was located in the juvenile male’s possession. A search of the vehicle was then conducted. Located within the vehicle in the immediate sitting area of the juvenile male and Javontae Lewis (18, Smyrna, DE) a black bag was located under the driver seat and was only accessible by the back seat passengers. Contained within the black bag was a black Taurus TX 22LR semi-automatic pistol and a bag containing marijuana.
In total approximately 100g of marijuana was recovered.
Javontae and the juvenile male were charged with Carrying a Concealed Deadly Weapon a Firearm, Possession of a Semi-auto/Auto weapon and Controlled Substance, Possession of Marijuana other than personal use quantity, and Parking During the Hours of Darkness without Permission in a County Parkland.
Javontae was issued a $3,779 cash bail and committed to Howard R. Young Correctional Institution. The juvenile male was issued a $13,101 cash bail and committed to the New Castle County Detention Center.
The New Castle County Division of Police would like to remind the citizens of New Castle County and Delaware of the new legislation regarding the updated Marijuana Law via the following link: https://legis.delaware.gov/json/BillDetail/GenerateHtmlDocument?legislationId=129970&legislationTypeId=1&docTypeId=2&legislationName=HB1
