Delaware State Police

Superintendent Colonel William Crotty

Governor’s Task Force Detectives Arrest Two Florida Men for Gun and Drug Charges

Date Posted: Sunday, December 24th, 2023

News Release

Delaware State Police arrested David Cardarelli, 45, of Tarpon Springs, Florida, and Michael Cona, 44, of Palm Harbor, Florida, for weapon and drug charges following a traffic stop in Newark on Friday morning.

On December 22, 2023, at approximately 11:45 a.m., members of the New Castle County Governor’s Task Force patrolling the area of the Biden Welcome Center located at 530 John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway in Newark, observed the driver of a parked gold Buick Lucerne bearing Florida registration snorting an unknown substance while seated in the car. Detectives initiated a traffic stop to check on the occupants and made contact with the driver, identified as David Cardarelli, and the front passenger, identified as Michael Cona. After making contact with Cardarelli and Cona, detectives observed a loaded handgun magazine in plain view, and took both men into custody without incident. Upon taking Cardarelli into custody, detectives observed the handle of a handgun in plain view between the driver’s seat and the center console.

A subsequent search of the Buick revealed a loaded handgun, additional loaded handgun magazines, ammunition, an aluminum spoon with a hard waxy purple substance that tested positive as heroin, and an uncapped needle syringe containing a purple liquid suspected to be heroin. Cardarelli and Cona were taken to Troop 2, where they were charged with multiple crimes.

Cardarelli was charged with the offenses listed below, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2, and committed to Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on an $8,000 secured bond.

Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited who also Possesses a Controlled Substance (Felony)
Carrying a Concealed Deadly Weapon (Felony)
Possession of Controlled/Counterfeit Substance

A computer inquiry revealed Cona is a convicted felon. He was charged with the offenses listed below, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2, and committed to Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on an $11,000 secured bond.

Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited who also Possesses a Controlled Substance (Felony)
Possession of Firearm if Previously Convicted of a Violent Felony (Felony)
Carrying a Concealed Deadly Weapon (Felony)
Possession of Controlled/Counterfeit Substance