Delaware State Police

Superintendent Colonel Melissa Zebley

Troopers Arrest Pair for Felony Drug Offenses Following Traffic Stop in Newark

Date Posted: Saturday, July 27th, 2024

News Release

Delaware State Police arrested 42-year-old Brandon Wright and 38-year-old Jaclyn Ortega, both of Elkton, Maryland, for felony drug offenses following a traffic stop that occurred on Tuesday evening in Newark.

On July 23, 2024, at approximately 6:25 p.m., a trooper on patrol in the area of Pulaski Highway and the Delaware/Maryland state line observed a silver Dodge Avenger improperly change lanes as it turned right from Pulaski Highway to Perch Creek Road. The Avenger then entered a Wawa parking lot as the trooper conducted a computer inquiry of the Avenger’s Maryland registration and discovered the registration was expired. Less than a minute later, the Avenger exited the Wawa parking lot at a high rate of speed and briefly traveled on Pulaski Highway before it turned into a Walgreens parking lot. The trooper conducted a traffic stop in the parking lot, and the driver of the Avenger, later identified as Brandon Wright, immediately exited the car. Wright proceeded to disregard multiple verbal commands to get back into the car and was subsequently taken into custody without incident. While the trooper made contact with the Avenger’s passenger, he observed a clear knotted bag containing an off-white rock-like substance suspected to be crack cocaine on the driver floorboard. The passenger, later identified as Jaclyn Ortega, refused to provide her name to the trooper and was taken into custody without incident. A computer inquiry revealed Ortega had a capias for her arrest issued by Justice of the Peace Court 11.

During a search of the Avenger, troopers recovered the clear bag, which contained approximately 14.57 grams of crack cocaine, and a broken glass pipe with burn marks. Wright and Ortega were taken to Troop 2, where they were both charged with multiple crimes.

Wright was charged with the offenses listed below, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2, and committed to Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on a $8,300 secured bond.