At 12:40 p.m. on October 27, New Castle County Police responded to the unit block of East 44th Street in the community of Penrose for a reported possible domestic related incident.
While en route to the home, police learned that the male suspect had fled..
When police arrived they could smell a strong odor of marijuana emanating from the home and observed marijuana plants growing within the residence.
Further investigation revealed another room within the home, which was designated with a separate address, also had marijuana plants growing inside.
Police learned that the suspect, later identified as Robert Stultz, had been recently living at that residence and had a previous address in the 600 block of Centerville Road.
Police learned the New Castle County Drug Control Squad had an active investigation at the home on Centerville Road after receiving information about a possible marijuana growing operation that was occurring in the basement of the home.
The Drug Control Squad subsequently took over the investigation and during the execution of a search warrant at the home in Penrose they discovered approximately 89 actively growing marijuana (12.4 pounds) plants throughout the kitchen and an adjacent room.
Within the other room, detectives found six marijuana plants growing under an indoor grow lamp and discovered five bags of marijuana in the refrigerator.
Police seized approximately 8,000 grams of marijuana from both of the homes.
A search warrant was executed at the residence on Centerville Road. Within the bathroom and basement of the home, detectives located approximately 44 bottles of liquid steroid which would yield at least 60 doses of use, roughly 200 hypodermic needles, a marijuana grow tent with several pots which were used to plant marijuana, grow lights and nearly 2.4 pounds of marijuana in four ziplock bags.
Detectives later received information that Stultz had responded to the Centerville Road address after he fled from the residence in Penrose, and fled again prior to the execution of the search warrant.
On November 2nd, members of the United States Marshal Service Fugitive Task Force responded to the Budget Inn, located in the unit block of Memorial Drive in New Castle, after receiving information as to Stultz's possible whereabouts.
Shortly after they arrived, the Marshal's responded to his motel room and he was taken into custody without incident.
Stultz was charged with manufactures, delivers or possesses with intent to deliver marijuana, possession of marijuana (felony) and possession of drug paraphernalia.
He was arraigned and committed to the Howard R. Young Correctional Institute after failing to post $71,000 secured bail.
