Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

WILMINGTON, Del. – United States Attorney Davis C. Weiss announced that Carl D. Roy, 34, of Wilmington, Delaware pled guilty today to gun and drug offenses before the Honorable Maryellen Noreika, U.S. District Judge for the District of Delaware. Judge Noreika immediately sentenced Roy to 9.5 years in federal prison. Over the course of one month, in the summer of 2018, Roy sold crack cocaine, heroin and four firearms to confidential informants as a part of a sting operation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Roy’s arrest and conviction was part Operation Blue Hen—a prolonged campaign between March and September, 2018 by the ATF to remove illegal drugs and guns from the City of Wilmington.

In total, Operation Blue Hen resulted in:

• 15 arrests;
• The seizure of 9 firearms;
• The seizure of 768 grams of crack cocaine;
• The seizure of 864 grams of methamphetamine; and
• The seizure of 37 grams of heroin.

U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “The Defendant’s conduct in this case—trafficking in drugs and guns —put our community at risk. We will work tirelessly with our state and federal law enforcement partners to prosecute felons who illegally sell guns on the street—particularly when those firearms are used by dealers to further their illegal drug trade. I want to thank ATF for their continued commitment to rid our city of guns and drugs.”

Rob Cekada, ATF Special Agent in Charge, stated, “This defendant routinely, illegally sold drugs and firearms thereby posing a threat to the safety of Wilmington’s citizens. ATF is determined to identify, investigate, and incarcerate anyone using firearms to commit violent crime. Our strong partnerships with local and state law enforcement, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Office, ensures that targeted operations like Blue Hen are successful and result in federal time for these offenders.”

Wilmington Police Chief Robert J. Tracy said, “The results of this operation illustrate the importance of the close working relationships we have with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners, and how critical these collaborations are as we work collectively to make our communities safer.”

The investigation was led by the ATF Baltimore Field Division’s Wilmington Field Office, with assistance from the Wilmington Police Department and Delaware State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adrienne Dedjinou and Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware.

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