Delmar officer arrested on misconduct, sexual contact charges, DOJ says

State says officer was suspended in February after allegations surfaced; investigation handled by Seaford Police

A Delmar police officer is facing multiple criminal charges after Delaware prosecutors said he engaged in inappropriate conduct while on duty in two separate incidents earlier this year.

Darrell T. Powell was arrested March 18, 2026, on two counts of official misconduct, along with one count each of unlawful sexual contact, stalking and offensive touching, according to the Delaware Department of Justice. The charges follow an investigation conducted by the Seaford Police Department.

Attorney General Kathy Jennings said the case will be handled under the same standard applied to any defendant.

“No one, regardless of their profession, is above the law — and my office will adhere to that standard as we move forward,” Jennings said in a statement released Monday, March 23. She also thanked prosecutors, Seaford Police and the victims who came forward.

According to the DOJ, the investigation found that Powell responded to a shoplifting call at a Delmar grocery store on Jan. 7, 2026. While there, he allegedly touched a staff member inappropriately and made sexual comments. Later that same evening, a family member of the victim reported seeing a police patrol vehicle pass the victim’s home multiple times.

The indictment also outlines a second alleged incident on Feb. 24, 2026. Prosecutors say Powell inappropriately touched another staff member at a local store while on duty and had made inappropriate comments to that employee in the months leading up to the encounter. On another occasion, he allegedly followed that victim home from work and pulled them over without providing a reason or requesting license and registration.

State officials said Powell was immediately relieved of police duties and suspended on Feb. 26 after the allegations were reported. Delaware also directed that the matter be investigated by an outside agency.

Powell is being held on $27,500 cash bail, according to the DOJ. Prosecutors also emphasized that the charges are allegations and that he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

Anyone with additional information about the case, or who believes they may have been the victim of inappropriate conduct by Powell, is asked to contact Delaware Department of Justice Special Investigator Timothy Argoe at 302-257-3294.

I can also turn this into a tighter breaking-news version or a more polished full publication package with headline, subhead, SEO title and social copy.

Staff Writer

Milford LIVE has a team of contributing journalists who cover specific areas of the community.  Our Journalist are professional and are paid for their contributions.  If you have any questions, corrections, or issues, please reach out to our Publisher and Editor, George Rotsch, at George@DelawareLIVE.com.  He can also be reached by phone at 302-354-5730.