Dover-Area Drug Trafficking Organization Charged by Federal Indictment
A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment last week charged three men from Dover and one from Middletown with conspiring to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl along with other drug and gun crimes. Officials say the amount of fentanyl seized from this organization is the largest know fentanyl seizure in Delaware history. According to the superseding indictment 51 year old Dwayne Fountain, 47 year old William Warren, 47 year old Martin Fountain and 44 year old Durell Patton conspired to distribute drugs from January through May of this year – with Dwayne Fountain the conspiracy involved over 5 kilos of cocaine, over 400 grams of fentanyl, over 500 grams of meth. Dwayne Fountain faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison if convicted.
Additional information from the US Attorney for the District of Delaware:
The superseding indictment also alleges that all four defendants possessed various drugs with intent to distribute. Finally, the superseding indictment charges Dwayne Fountain and Durell Patton with possessing guns on May 17, 2023, despite past criminal convictions which prohibit them from doing so.
According to documents filed in court, this case was the result of a long-term investigation spearheaded by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Delaware State Police, and Dover Police Department. Search warrants executed in the case led to the seizure of over 7.5 kilograms of fentanyl, 10 kilograms of powder cocaine, over a kilogram of crack cocaine, about 280 grams of methamphetamine, and 300 grams of xylazine, commonly referred to as “tranq,” an additive commonly mixed with fentanyl.
“The threat to public health and safety found in these cases is something that requires policing organizations to share information and resources, in order to protect the vulnerable,” noted Dover Police Chief Thomas A. Johnson, Jr. “It bears repeating that the amount of illicit drugs seized in this operation was enough to potentially kill close to 400,000 people, or, stated another way, roughly 4 in 10 Delawareans. It was great to be a part of such an effective collaboration between Local, State, and Federal law enforcement agencies.”
William Warren faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of forty years in prison. Martin Fountain and Durell Patton face a maximum of twenty years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
