Police: UD student robbed, then busted for drugs in home

The armed robbery of a University of Delaware student led to his arrest Monday after Newark police determined he was growing marijuana inside his home.

Two other men were arrested and charged with home invasion as a result of the robbery, said Lt. Bill Hargrove, a spokesman with Newark Police Department.

Officers were first called about 8 a.m. Monday to the first block of Prospect Avenue for a report of a home invasion that had just occurred, Hargrove said. One of the men robbed – identified as 23-year-old Tyler Oppel – was bleeding from the head, while the other 20-year-old man was not injured, he said.

Oppel, of Aberdeen, Maryland, told police that three men entered his home through an unlocked door and confronted him, striking him in the head with a handgun, Hargrove said. The men took items from the 20-year-old, as well, before fleeing the home, he said.

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While talking to Oppel, police noticed drug paraphernalia and a "strong odor of burnt marijuana" in the house, which prompted them to gain a search warrant, Hargrove said.

Inside the home, they found marijuana plants, several individually wrapped bags of suspected cocaine, scales, packaging material and cash, Hargrove said. Police took these items and charged Oppel with maintaining a drug property and two counts of manufacturing, delivering or possessing with intent to deliver a controlled substance.

He was then taken to Christiana Hospital for further treatment for his injuries. Hargrove said, and was later arraigned and released on $7,500 unsecured bail.

On Wednesday, detectives received a tip that 39-year-old Jason Mackey, who was believed to have been involved in the initial home invasion robbery, was in the area of South College Avenue and Welsh Tract Road, Hargrove said.

When police stopped Mackey's car, they found drugs and drug dealing paraphernalia, Hargrove said.

Mackey, of Newark, New Jersey, was arrested and charged with manufacturing, delivering or possessing with intent to deliver a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance in a Tier 2 quantity due to the items in his vehicle. His involvement with the robbery is still under investigation, Hargrove said Thursday.

He was held on $40,000 secured bail.

Police also determined that 23-year-old Elijah Stevens, of Wilmington, was connected to the robbery through mutual acquaintances, Hargrove said.

He was arrested on Wednesday when the Newark/Middletown Police Regional SWAT team served a search warrant at his home in the 1200 block of Terra Hill Drive, he said. He was charged with possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a felony, home invasion when armed with a deadly weapon, wearing a disguise during the commission of a felony, first degree robbery, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, second degree assault, possession of controlled substance without a prescription and possession of marijuana.

He was held after failing to post $88,501 secured bail.

Police were still seeking more information on the third man, Hargrove said. Anyone with information should contact Detective James Skinner at (302) 366-7100 x3135, or James.Skinner@cj.state.de.us.

Contact Brittany Horn at (302) 324-2771 or bhorn@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter at @brittanyhorn.