Cecil County Man Arrested On Firearms, Drug Charges After Multi-State Investigation

(ELKTON, Md.) – A Cecil County man was arrested Thursday on firearms and drug charges following a multi-jurisdictional, multi-state investigation.

The suspect, Scott Eric Spangler, 47, of Elkton, Md., is charged with five counts of possession of a rifle/shotgun with a prior felony conviction, five counts of the use of a firearm in a drug trafficking crime, possession with intent to distribute and possession of controlled dangerous substances and possession of illegal ammunition.

Spangler was taken before the District Court Commissioner in Elkton and ordered to be held at the Cecil County Detention Center without bond.

According to a preliminary investigation, the Maryland State Police Gang Enforcement Unit were made aware of Spangler on Thursday after New Castle County Police in Delaware contacted troopers. Detectives from the New Castle County police informed Maryland State Police investigators that they recently closed a burglary investigation where a handgun and additional property were stolen in the commission of the crime. One of the suspects charged in the burglary admitted to selling the firearm and ammunition to a person later identified as Spangler.

Maryland State Police Gang Enforcement Unit troopers contacted the MSP Gun Center and learned that Spangler was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to a previous burglary conviction.

As a result of their investigation Troopers, assisted by the MSP Criminal Enforcement Division, MSP Gun Enforcement Unit, MSP North East Barrack and New Castle County Police Department conducted a court-ordered search of Spangler’s residence in Elkton.

Investigators recovered the following during their search:

AR 15 .223 caliber rifle with six prohibited 30-round magazines
Bolt action JC Higgins Model 583 12 gauge shotgun
Remington .22 cal. rifle
Speedmaster Model 552 lever-action .410 gauge shotgun
Charles Daly 20 gauge over-under shotgun
16 grams of crack cocaine
15 pills of Buprenorphione HCL
4 pills of Oxycodone
Multiple rounds of several different types of ammunition
U.S. currency
Spangler was arrested a short time later without incident. He was taken to the Maryland State Police North East Barrack for processing.

This investigation was made possible in part due to funds provided by the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention (GOCCP), which funds the Maryland Criminal Intelligence Network (MCIN). The MCIN’s efforts are led by the Maryland State Police Gang Enforcement Unit in such cross-border, multi-jurisdictional cases as this one. The Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention will also provide funding to prosecute Spangler.

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~ MD State Police