01.16.26
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STOLEN HANDGUN LEADS DETECTIVES TO DRUG OPERATION, FIVE ARRESTED

(New Castle, DE. 19720) On Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at approximately 1:10 p.m., Detectives from the New Castle County Division of Police Violent Crimes Interdiction Team, in collaboration with Delaware Probation and Parole, contacted 20-year-old Jazzlyn Johnson and 19-year-old Johan Aponte, both of Wilmington, while they were in a vehicle arriving at a location in the 300 block of Cherry Lane.

A search warrant was obtained and executed on the vehicle, during which Detectives and Delaware Probation and Parole located a .22-caliber handgun. The firearm was later confirmed to have been reported stolen the previous day from a vehicle within the Wilmington Police Department’s jurisdiction. The occupants of the vehicle, Jazzlyn Johnson and Johan Aponte, are both prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior convictions and were taken into custody.

As the investigation continued, Detectives obtained and executed a search warrant at their residence in the 600 block of North Broom Street in Wilmington. At the residence, Detectives contacted 43-year-old Sonia Aponte, 48-year-old Juan Pena-Matos, and 29-year-old Juan Castro.

During the search, Detectives recovered approximately 521 grams of cocaine along with additional drug paraphernalia. The investigation determined that all individuals were involved in a larger-scale drug operation.

All suspects were taken into custody and transported to New Castle County Police Headquarters.

Jazzlyn Johnson was charged with the following offenses:

  • One felony count of possession of a firearm
  • One felony count of possession of a firearm/ammunition by a person prohibited
  • One felony count of carrying a concealed deadly weapon
  • One felony count of receiving a stolen firearm
  • One felony count of second-degree conspiracy

Johnson was arraigned at Justice of the Peace Court 11 and committed to the Delores J. Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution in lieu of $45,000 cash bail.

Johan Aponte was charged with the following offenses:

  • One felony count of possession of a firearm, with two violent felonies
  • One felony count of possession of a firearm/ammunition by a person prohibited
  • One felony count of carrying a concealed deadly weapon
  • One felony count of receiving a stolen firearm
  • One felony count of second-degree conspiracy
  • One felony count of possession of a controlled substance, Tier 3
  • One felony count of possession with intent to deliver, Tier 3

Aponte was also found to have an outstanding warrant issued by the Wilmington Police Department. He was arraigned on all charges at Justice of the Peace Court 11 and committed to Howard R. Young Correctional Institution in lieu of $161,000 secured bail.

Sonia Aponte, Juan Pena-Matos, and Juan Castro were each charged with the following offenses:

  • One felony count of possession with intent to deliver, Tier 3
  • One felony count of possession of a controlled substance, Tier 3
  • One felony count of second-degree conspiracy

Sonia Aponte was arraigned on all charges at Justice of the Peace Court 11 and committed to the Delores J. Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution in lieu of $122,000 secured bail.

Juan Pena-Matos and Juan Castro were each arraigned on all charges at Justice of the Peace Court 11 and committed to the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution in lieu of $42,000 cash bail.