Separate Stops lead to 2 Arrests in Sussex County

Delaware State Police arrested a pair of Sussex County men on various charges following Sunday morning traffic stops.

In the first incident, at approximately 1:05 a.m. a trooper on patrol saw a gray Nissan Altima traveling eastbound on Concord Road in the area of Bethel Concord Road in Seaford. The trooper observed as the driver of the Altima crossed the double-yellow line and illegally passed the car in front of it. The trooper stopped the Nissan and made contact with the occupants, which included front-seat passenger 19-year-old Shyheim Drayton-Upshur of Seaford, DE (left photo).

The trooper smelled marijuana coming from inside of the car, and all occupants were asked to exit the vehicle so a probable cause search could be conducted. During the search, troopers found a loaded handgun that was concealed under the front-passenger seat. Drayton-Upshur was subsequently taken into custody at the scene without incident. A computer check of Drayton-Upshur showed that he is a convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms and/or ammunition.

Drayton-Upshur was taken to Troop 5 and charged with the following crimes: Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited (Felony); Possession of Ammunition by a Person Prohibited (Felony); Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony (Felony) and Carrying a Concealed Firearm (Felony)

Drayton-Upshur was arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 3 and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on $90,000 cash bond.

In the second incident, at approximately 1:17 a.m., a trooper on patrol observed a silver 2003 Cadillac DeVille traveling westbound on Lewes Georgetown Highway in the area of Minos Conaway Road. The DeVille began swerving on the road and crossed over its lane of travel. The trooper stopped the sedan and contacted the driver, identified as 33-year-old Mikkail Stephens of Georgetown, DE (right photo).

Stephens displayed signs of impairment, and he was subsequently taken into custody for DUI. An inventory search of the car led to the discovery of a concealed handgun, approximately 260.76 grams of marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and over $700 in suspected drug dealing proceeds. A computer check showed that the handgun had been reported as stolen by Delaware State Police Troop 3 in October 2020.

Stephens was taken to Troop 7 and charged with the following crimes: Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony (Felony); Possession With Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance (Felony); Carrying a Concealed Firearm (Felony); Receiving a Stolen Firearm (Felony); Driving Under the Influence; Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Failure to Drive in Designated Lane.

Stephens was arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 3 and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on $54,502 cash bond.

Source: Delaware State Police Newsroom