Four Delaware Men Plead Guilty In Wilmington Drug Conspiracy Case

WILMINGTON, Del. – Aaron Cephas, 33, of Wilmington, Del., Dashawn Broomer, 20, of Claymont, Del., and Andre Green, 20, of Claymont, Del., pled guilty yesterday to conspiring to distribute heroin in Wilmington, Del., announced Charles M. Oberly, III, United States Attorney for the District of Delaware. 

This case is the result of a year-long Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) investigation into these men, who ran a heroin trafficking organization based in Wilmington.  The investigation culminated in a one-and-a-half-month long wiretap investigation involving the interception of three telephones – one used by Cephas, one used by Broomer, and one used by Green.

Co-conspirator Joshua Cirwithian, 28, of Wilmington, Del., previously pled guilty to the same conspiracy charge on December 22, 2014.  All defendants remain in custody pending their sentencing hearings.  Cirwithian’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 23, 2015.  Cephas’, Broomer’s, and Green’s sentencing hearings are scheduled for June 10, 2015.

According to the indictment and other court records filed in support of today’s guilty pleas, Cephas, Broomer, and Green were arrested on June 27, 2014.  At that time, pursuant to a federal warrant, Broomer’s residence in Claymont, Del. was searched.  Detectives found over 900 bags of heroin, a loaded handgun, and over $28,500 in cash.  Cirwithian has been incarcerated since February 24, 2014, when he was arrested in a car in Virginia with a loaded handgun and approximately $65,000 in cash.

Cephas and Broomer face a maximum penalty of 40 years imprisonment (with a mandatory minimum of five years), up to a lifetime of supervised release (with a mandatory minimum of 4 years), a fine of up to $5,000,000, and a $100 special assessment.  Green and Cirwithian face a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment, up to a lifetime of supervised release (with a mandatory minimum of 3 years), a fine of up to $1,000,000, and a $100 special assessment. 

The case is the product of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) Violent Crime Task Force, which is part of the New Castle County HIDTA, a recently established collaborative effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.  The FBI Violent Crime Task Force includes members from the following agencies: FBI, Delaware State Police, New Castle County Police Department, Delaware State Probation and Parole, and the Delaware Attorney General’s Office.  In addition, the Wilmington Police Department assisted on this case. Assistant United States Attorney Shawn A. Weede and Special Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth L. Van Pelt are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.