Drug Task Force Arrest Three after Cocaine Investigation

Seaford, DE – The Delaware State Police Sussex County Drug Task Force has arrested three people after the culmination of a six month long investigation into illegal drug sales from a residence on East Middlecord Circle.

On Monday December 7, 2015 around 5:15 p.m., the Sussex County Drug Task Force with the assistance of the Sussex County Governor's Task Force and Delaware State Police Special Operations Response Team (SORT) conducted a search warrant in the 23000 block of East Middlecord Circle. Upon the detectives’ arrival at the residence, Deshan L. Ross, 33, and Shamona Sample, 29, were taken into custody without incident. The search revealed 168.4 grams of cocaine, 26.11 grams of heroin, 343 grams of methamphetamine, and 3 grams of marijuana.

Just prior to the search warrant on East Middlecord Circle, a traffic stop was conducted on a vehicle that had just departed the residence. Mark J. Taylor, 39 of Laurel was operating Volkswagen Passat and was a suspect in the on-going investigation. Upon making the traffic stop, Taylor fled on foot from the vehicle and, in the process, began swallowing individually wrapped bags of cocaine. Upon his capture, he began choking on the bags and spit one out onto the ground. A trooper medic that is assigned to SORT was able to render first aid to Taylor and removed two more baggies from his throat. Taylor then began spitting in the trooper's face before subsequently being transported to a local hospital where he was admitted due to another bag that was lodged in his bronchial tube. A search of the Passat yielded more than $27,500.00 in suspected drug proceeds. Taylor was charged with three counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance in a Tier 5 Quantity, three counts of Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance in a Tier 4 Quantity, Assault 2nd on a Law Enforcement Officer, Resisting Arrest, Tampering with Physical Evidence, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was arraigned by a Justice of the Peace Court Judge at the hospital and was placed in the custody of Delaware Department of Corrections in lieu of $374,200.00 cash bond.

Both Ross and Sample were transported back to Troop 4 were they were charged with the following offenses. Deshan Ross was charged with three counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance in a Tier 5 Quantity, three counts of Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance in a Tier 4 Quantity, Conspiracy 2nd, Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Shamona Sample was charged with three counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance in a Tier 5 Quantity, three counts of Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance in a Tier 4 Quantity, Maintaining a Drug Property, Conspiracy 2nd, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. They were arraigned at JP2 and remanded to the custody of the Delaware Department of Corrections in lieu of $120,800.00 cash (Ross) and $121,200.00 secured (Sample).