Delaware State Police

Superintendent Colonel William D. Crotty

Detectives Conclude Joint Drug Trafficking Investigation in Delaware and Maryland

Date Posted: Monday, August 11th, 2025

new release

The Delaware State Police have arrested 34-year-old Aaron Nickerson of Wilmington, Delaware, 30-year-old Khalil Rodriguez-Fitzgerald of New Castle, Delaware, and 33-year-old Malcolm Moore of Claymont, Delaware on numerous drug dealing charges after detectives concluded a several-month-long joint investigation into a drug trafficking organization (DTO). This DTO was responsible for distributing cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana throughout New Castle County, Delaware and Cecil County, Maryland. This investigation was conducted alongside the Cecil County (Maryland) Drug Task Force.

On the afternoon of August 6, 2025, members of the Delaware State Police Special Operations Response Team stopped and apprehended Nickerson, Rodriguez-Fitzgerald, and Moore in Nickerson’s rental car in Wilmington. A search of the car led to the discovery of the following:

Approximately 140 grams of crack cocaine
Approximately 1,973 grams (approximately 4.3 pounds) of marijuana
Over $11,000 in suspected drug proceeds

Detectives then executed additional search warrants throughout New Castle County, where two children were present in one of the homes at the time, and discovered the following items:

Approximately 323 grams of cocaine
Approximately 108.17 grams of crack cocaine
Approximately 1,782 grams of phenacetin, a drug cutting agent
Approximately 24 grams of marijuana
One handgun
Numerous rounds of ammunition
Over $21,000 in suspected drug proceeds
Various items of drug dealing paraphernalia

Nickerson, who is a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing a firearm and/or ammunition, was taken to Troop 2, where he was charged with the crimes listed below, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 11, and committed to Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on $178,500 cash bond.

Nickerson

Possession of a Controlled Substance in a Tier 3 Quantity (Felony) – 3 counts
Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance in a Tier 3 Quantity (Felony) – 3 counts
Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited (Felony)
Possession of Ammunition by a Person Prohibited (Felony)
Possession of a Firearm While Also Possessing a Controlled Substance (Felony)
Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance in a Tier 2 Quantity (Felony)
Operating a Clandestine Laboratory (Felony)
Possession of a Controlled Substance in a Tier 2 Quantity (Felony)
Conspiracy Second Degree (Felony)
Endangering the Welfare of a Child – 2 counts

Rodriguez-Fitzgerald and Moore were taken to Troop 2, where they were both charged with the crimes listed below, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 11, and committed to Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on $49,000 cash bond each.

Possession of a Controlled Substance in a Tier 3 Quantity (Felony)
Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance in a Tier 3 Quantity (Felony)
Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance in a Tier 2 Quantity (Felony)
Conspiracy Second Degree (Felony)

Drug investigators from the Cecil County Drug Task Force also executed search warrants in Maryland, which led to additional arrests and seizures.