An Upper Darby drug dealer is in jail after his customer called police unhappy with the product.
On Sunday morning at 8:39 a.m., officers responded to the 7200 block of Alderbrook Road for what was reported as a dispute, only to find a drug user calling the police on their dealer, arguing over the quality of the drugs, said Upper Darby Police Superintendent Timothy Bernhardt.
During the encounter, police found cocaine, marijuana, packaging materials, and a loaded firearm on Dinell Delee, 44, who is a resident of the 700 block of Greenwood Avenue. He was charged with possession of drugs with intent to deliver, making terroristic threats and firearm violations.
According to the criminal complaint filed by Officer Reilly Pollock:
Police made contact with the victim, Miss R, who told them that a Black male wearing a green hat and tan pants riding a scooter and known to her as “Man Man” had threatened to harm her after she confronted him about wanting her money back after a drug sale.
She stated he stood outside of her residence and used hand gestures of slitting his throat and using his finger as a gun, pointing it at her, and moving his arms in a shooting motion. She said she was in fear for her life and said “Man Man” was standing at the corner.
At that point Officer Travis Hall and his K-9 officer conducted a pedestrian stop on the subject, now identified as Delee. The victim confirmed Delee as the suspect and stated that a scooter at that location also belonged to him, however Delee denied that.
Police then searched a bag attached to the scooter to attempt to find identification and ascertain ownership. Inside, police found a gallon baggie of suspected marijuana and a loaded turquoise Taurus 9 mm firearm as well as individual unused small bags.
The victim provided police with two cellphone numbers for “Man-Man” and when police called one of the numbers a phone inside the bag began to ring.
During a search of Delee’s person, police found 19 small transparent black containers containing a hard white substance, suspected to be cocaine, as well as two small transparent black containers containing a white powdery substance, suspected to be cocaine, and another green zip lock bag of suspected marijuana and $813.
The narcotics were field tested and came back positive for marijuana and cocaine.
Delee has four prior criminal convictions, which prohibit him from legally possessing a firearm.
Delee was arraigned before District Judge Steven A. Sandone who set bail at 10 percent of $75,000. Unable to post bail, Delee was taken to Delaware County prison, and is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing Nov. 21 before District Judge Michael Maddox
“Sell drugs or carry an illegal gun in Upper Darby, and you will be arrested. Period. No exceptions,” said Bernhardt about the unusual crime. “While we’re shaking our heads at the absurdity, the person who called in this complaint is clearly struggling. She wasn’t charged. At the time she wasn’t in possession of anything. Hopefully, she seeks some help for the substance issue.”
Bernhardt also credited his personnel.
“Huge shoutout to Officers Pollock and Hall! Out in the community every day, keeping Upper Darby safe for everyone,” he said.