3 Generations Face Drug-Dealing Charges In Delaware

October 23, 2011 10:44 PM

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GEORGETOWN, Del. (AP) — Three generations of a Sussex County family have been charged after a drug investigation by state and local police.

Officers executed a search warrant Friday at a home in Georgetown and seized 32 pounds of marijuana and 49 guns— including handguns, semi-automatic rifles, long guns and muzzle loaders. Police also confiscated drug paraphernalia, prescription drugs, ammunition and cash.

Four people are facing numerous charges related to drug dealing. They are: 62-year-old Richard Banks Sr; his son and daughter, 41-year-old Richard Banks Jr. and 39-year-old Tabitha Banks; and Tabitha’s 20-year-old daughter, Ashley Banks. Richard Banks Sr. is not yet in custody but has been charged in a warrant.

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3 Generations Face Drug Dealing Charges In Delaware

Hank Warren

Absurd marijuana laws, yet another violation of our rights. Add it to the list of gov’t violations of our rights:
They violate the 1st Amendment by placing protesters in cages, banning books like “America Deceived II” and censoring the internet.
They violate the 2nd Amendment by confiscating guns.
They violate the 4th and 5th Amendment by molesting airline passengers.
They violate the entire Constitution by starting undeclared wars for foreign countries.
Impeach Obama, vote for Ron Paul.
(Last link of Banned Book):

America Deceived II: Homeland Security Warning: Possession of this novel may result in enhanced interrogation.
Buck O’Fama

A low rent family and you can take that to the Banks.
Sarah Peters

LOL the one girl’s name is Ashley Banks. That’s the name of the youngest girl on Fresh Prince!
Climp Jones

What no incest?
alan noel

Whenever you have union cops and prison guards getting as much taxpayer money that they need,a lot of people are going to go to jail. You’ve got a bald tire ,you better come with me.
fecal_heroes

HALF of all inmates and detainees are charged with marijuana-related use. This is only to provide income to imbecilic bureaucrats. Why not jail half of the entire population?

Wake-UP

Nailed it. But play your line of reasoning out further. What happens once they have half of the pie in prisons ? Do you think it will stop there ?

For one of the hundreds of thousands of ways I mean laws, they will eventually get you for something. And then you work for much less ! Like they tried in the USSR.

Your next ! All of us ! Are next !!!

malcom

sounds like some Whites who because of no fault of their own, face discrimination in trying to find a job. The racism against Whites is growing on a daily basis and these people have to do this to survive. If you notice there are NO social programs for Whites( even though most of the programs are paid by Whites) but there are many programs for the blacks and latinos.

NW

Despite prevailing stereotype, Whites, not Blacks, collect greatest share of public aid dollars. Do some research.

robert quinn

Percentage wise?
TruthNotBias

according to 2010 us census there are roughly 11.4 million black people on welfare and 11.6 million white people on welfare. While your statement is technically true keep in mind there are approx 229 million white people and only 38 million black people. That means that roughly 5% of white people are on welfare and 30% of black people. All depends on how you look at it.
PowerPC

This is a crock of a statement and you know it…..Perhaps whites collect the greatest share of public aid is because the make up the greatest share of the overall population…….Calculate the amount of aid PER CAPITA and see what kind of numbers you get. You can get number to say anything you want them to say but use them in a way to get factual information if you are going to use them at all..

Mike

Welfare, Social security, Medicaid…just three of many (and some of the biggest) social programs that are ‘for whites’ and anyone else that qualifies.

aubreyfarmer

The cops are corrupt to the core. The mistake these folks made was not putting the local law enforcement on the payroll. I guess they will know better next time. It is OK for our ATF to run guns into Mexico, our CIA to run drugs all over the US and Mexico, ATF to murder 84 people in Waco, Tennessee cops to allow trucks to knowingly enter their state with drugs only to stop the truck on the way back to Mexico and seize the bundle of cash, for our troops to protect the Opium fields in Afghanistan, for the Clintons to smuggle tons of drugs in through the Mena, Arkansas airport for our government to bail out bankers and lie us into wars all over the Mideast, but heaven forbid that someone might sell some pot. I love my country but grow to loath and fear my government with every passing day.
ghoststories

ooh DRUG dealers. Spookifying! That evil reefer dope that makes you insane and kills people. BooOOooOOoOOOoo!!!!!!

NowListenUp

There was a time that I had my head up my rear just like you. I decided to do some research on the long term effects of THC. The results were not pretty. This is very bad stuff. THC induced psychosis and a myriad of other physical and mental problems are associated with use as well. Smoke away buddy, and I look forward to the day I see you drooling all over yourself on some street corner.

ghoststories

What a charming sentiment. You’re the good guy? I don’t hope to see you destroyed in the gutter.
Dan Dietz

HAHAHA must got your info right off the DOJ website, you sound like your out of the 1920′s with reefer madness…hahaha thanks for the joke you clown
Fabrication is cool

It’s interesting that you found legitimate information about a substance that is illegal to conduct research on. Thanks for the link to your source.
PowerPC

Well, lets look at someone that everybody can agree has been using pot for decades….Willie Nelson. I do not see him sitting on a street corner drooling all over himself. I am not saying pot has not long term affects but they are a lot less dangerous than the long term affects of alcohol. How about researching that and letting us know which is more dangerous.

George W. Axl Rosebush

Now that their drug dealer has been busted, the OWS bunch will fold up their tents…
greg

This story reeks of BS. The old man wasn’t arrested yet, probably because he had nothing to do with it other then it being his house. I smell a case of elder abuse here. Too many young ones are risking their parents property because the “economy” has made them move back in with mom and dad. The guns were probably a legitimate collection of family heirlooms, most probably didn’t even work! The justice system has turned a blind eye to those they are supposed to protect. This story repeats itself everyday, yet there is no help for those of us caught in this desperate situation. Throw the kids in the street, give the old man his guns back, and for God’s sake, smoke a joint and chill out!!!

nam-vet 6869

That is for the investigation and Prosecuting Attorny to decide and if charged it is up to a jury.

Michael

Legalize it.

dropthatcrimerate

10-4 it’s a no-brainer and I’m not talking medical.

sirandrew

Its hard to live on welfare . These three generations of perpetual welfare families spawned and nurtured by our stupid system are just trying to improve them self .

Will they be kicked off welfare ? When pigs fly.
Skunk E. Bud

Marijuana is not a drug it is a herb given to us by God.
da truf

The first two commenters nailed it on the head. These newspapers are asleep at the wheel why are they not listing elected officials for us to vote out to stop this horrible police state? the war on drugs is a human rights catastrophe NO OTHER COUNTRY DOES WHAT WE DO TO DRUG USERS IT’S TRULY INHUMAN AND IT COSTS YOU PERSONALLY THOUSANDS PER YEAR IN TAXES TO PAY FOR THE CIRCLE JERK OF POLICE, COURTS, AND JAILS. these corpo-politicians want their for-profit jails filled to capacity!!! if a politician votes for private prisons or anything but a revision of the drug laws and a rethink of the prison state then VOTE THOSE INHUMAN SADISTS OUT OF OFFICE!!!

Dwight Mayo

You are basically right about the fact that no other nations treats them the way we do. some let them go Scot free while others execute them.. I am not station that I think all our drug laws are right and equal but to try to compare us to other nations is a poor argument
Dave

@ da tuf…If you need the paper to list your elected officials so you can vote them out we don’t need you voting. If you feel so strongly you should already know who they are.

Ed Cole

Three generations of drug dealers, but probably six generations of welfare recipients.
COPS ARE ROBBERS

Land of the free ? They should have used those guns on the robbers in costume. That family was robbed at gun point. Deprivation of rights under color of law. Learn about it. It’s happening all around you all over this land every day of the week. As cops do work 24 X 7.

I call foul ball on this article. You missed the real story here CBS Philly.

COPS ARE ROBBERS

Forgot to include the politians and lobbyists. They got the ball rolling to begin with by wanting, writing, and then voting on these laws or rules. Today’s politians would much rather your commute to work involve the guard walking you to your work station for the day at your 365 day resort known also as a privatly owned prison. You will make items for export or for local consumption by those not yet ensnared by the United states of the Police.

Think about it. This is as real as the eyes you are using to read this post.

jasperddbgghost

Cuckoo….cuckoo….cuckoo…..

Stop eating the kitty litter…………………..man…..

Jeff

Who cares. Dealing in an innocuous weed that harms no one. House robbed? Call your insurance company that’s what there for. Car broken into? Call your insurance company that’s what there for. Assaulted? Go to the hospital that’s what there for. For the record all three of these things have happened to me and that is the response, more or less, that I have gotten from the police. They don’t care about me or my well being. God forbid they catch me with some marijuana though. Something that many use in the privacy of there own home causing no harm to anyone. Thrown the book at those lawbreakers!! Speed ten over the speed limit even though you are traveling at the same rate of speed as everyone else on the highway! 300 dollar ticket. The police don’t care about us people, they just care about fining us if we have the money and jailing us in corporate jails if we don’t, to make sure that they have a job. Law enforcement is a business, nothing more. In the mean time, a family of people who are supporting themselves are going to be put in jail all because a group of morons who know no better said that what they are doing is illegal.

H MAN

Spot on comment Jeff. You really hit the nail on the head. Too bad the sleeping sheep are blind to the truth.
billcrawford

“Officers executed a search warrant Friday at a home in Georgetown and seized 32 pounds of marijuana and 49 guns— including handguns, semi-automatic rifles,”

If marijuana is so harmless then why the need for all the weapons? the 1960′s are gone when it was just a past time smoking joints and hagging out, now it is a serious business with much killing involved so your a abit off kilter with your thought processs in today’s world, but then again I suppose you are also a dealer and would come to your conclusions that side with other dealers.

Eric

The reason illegal drugs have become so violent is because they have been declared illegal. Can’t you learn from history? Prohibition outlawed alcohol and gangs thrived. Pretty sad that people can’t see unintended consequences of tyranny. Treat drug addiction as a medical problem, not a criminal one. Freedom is much better than tyranny.
philip inuhoff

It makes me laugh how you prohibitionists call us dopes and idiots, then say completely moronic statements like this.

“much killing” Really? California and Colorado have huge marijuana industries. What murders are you talking about? You mean in Mexico where it is illegal? Who cares! That’s in Mexico. Make it legal and the murders stop instantly, which of course even Vincente Fox advocates.

Relating the toxicity of a plant to the collection of firearms, some were MUZZLE LOADERS, is crazier than the most acid tripping whack job would ever babble. Gold is harmless too, Bill, why don’t you go try to pet some inside Fort Knox, I’ll bet you’ll see some guns. Big ones.

Your brand of sober logic makes me want to pack a bowl. You are one crazy hombre.
So Obvious

Prohibition is prohibition. It already happened and failed. Please argue its success or explain the difference between alcohol and cannabis. Otherwise, please be quiet.
PowerPC

Hey Bill, They also confiscated Muzzle Loaders….They are used for nothing except hunting. Do you even know what a muzzle loader is? Look it up and see what kind of “weapon” it really is…..Know it all!

steve keller

“a group of morons who know no better said that what they are doing is illegal”

That “group of morons” you refer to is the community in which these people live. You see, the police don’t write laws, they enforce them. The people write laws through their elected representatives. If you don’t like the law, work to get it changed, or move to a different community that has laws you prefer. I agree that many of our laws are unnecessary and/or extreme, but simply ignoring them is not the proper way of handling the situation. And blaming the police is like blaming a referee for enforcing a penalty on your favorite team. A rule is a rule.

jasperddbgghost

Rules don’t sit well with people that are dumb enough to light something on fire and put it in their mouth. Now….let’s get back to eating dinner….ah yes, kibbles and bits. That’s delicacy in pothead land.
anonymous

COP
So Obvious

Blaming the police for enforcing marijuana laws is more akin to blaming a referee for enforcing stadium liquor rules instead of watching the game. Jails continue to fill with drug offenders yet rapists/murderers run free. There are too many laws, and the police need to learn how to prioritize.

It’s currently revenue before safety, and I’m not sure petition signatures can change that.

steve keller

“a group of morons who know no better said that what they are doing is illegal”

That “group of morons” you refer to is the community in which these people live. You see, the police don’t write laws, they enforce them. The people write laws through their elected representatives. If you don’t like the law, work to get it changed, or move to a different community that has laws you prefer. I agree that many of our laws are unnecessary and/or extreme, but simply ignoring them is not the proper way of handling the situation. And blaming the police is like blaming a referee for enforcing a penalty on your favorite team. A rule is a rule.

Oh, and one more thing. If dealing drugs is so innocuous and harmless, why on earth would they need 49 handguns and assault rifles?

Mark C.

Because the 2nd Amendment to the constitution says that they can have 49 guns. Why do you care how many guns someone has? It is frankly, none of your business. The fact that this article mentions guns at all shows what the journalist’s real intentions are. The guns weren’t illegal, the 32 pounds of marijuana was. The journalist though wants to cloud the article and the readers minds with the talk of guns. Scare them a little and make them overreact. Typical anti-gunner’s agenda. I’m wondering why the article didn’t report on how many tampons were in the house. Oh wait, because like the number of guns, the number of tampons shouldn’t matter.
Andreas

It is not called the Bill Of Needs.
steve keller

@ Mark @Anreas

You’re right, the second amendment does protect the right to bear arms, but that doesn’t answer my question of why they would need 49 assault rifles. Just because they can is not an answer. I’m not suggesting we take away people’s right to bear arms, but I’m not sure I want someone who has 32 pounds of pot to have 49 assault rifles. And, by the way, felons relinquish their second amendment rights. These people are obviously felons.

Every sane person believes in restrictions to an individuals right to bear arms. I challenge anyone to tell me with a straight face that they genuinely believe that any American who wants a personal suitcase nuke should be able to possess one. Or anyone who wants weaponized anthrax should be allowed to have it. It’s not a matter of IF you believe in the state controlling access to weapons – it’s where you draw the line on what people should be allowed to have.
So Obvious

Handguns and semi automatic rifles, as well as some muzzle loaders…not assault rifles. They were probably a family collection of guns to use at a range. They also may be for protection during a home invasion, which they were at a higher risk of due to the valuable material in the home.

“Drugs” are only valuable because they are artificially made to be rare and difficult to obtain. You can thank our laws for creating high-paying jobs for anyone *crazy* enough to risk getting caught. Consider the current economy and the fact that it took three generations for this family to get taxed, I mean, caught. The risk is obviously not high enough to deter most people from the considerable reward.

You can either raise the risk or lower the reward. Hire more cops? Less patrols and more drug dogs making house calls?

Reducing the reward seems much easier and cost-effective, and will lessen the burden on our overworked police. Hmm…how can one reduce the reward?

The answer is obvious.
Mike

“Oh, and one more thing. If dealing drugs is so innocuous and harmless, why on earth would they need 49 handguns and assault rifles?”

Because they collected guns? Hell the article mentions muzzleloaders in the group of guns confiscated. I can assure you those weren’t guns meant for drug dealing.

abigtimeliberal

seems like all the huffpost/ aol poster have invaded drudge on this.

Jo

ok
bingbanger

why is this news? this happens in the black community every FN day

John Steele

Just the usual Obama Voter. They read his book about how he was dealing drugs and thought they’d try it

Ant

being around police is the most dangerous thing they did.
http://hypervocal.com/news/2011/old-adage-rings-true-the-family-that-deals-drugs-together-stays-together/ Banks: The Family That Deals Drugs Together Stays Together | HyperVocal

[...] police confiscated “drug paraphernalia, prescription drugs, ammunition and cash,” CBS Philadelphia reports. The family’s arsenals included handguns, semi-automatic rifles, long guns and muzzle [...]
md

and taxpaying, post high educated, law abiding citizens such myself, also enjoy rights and benefits
sailordude

The family that deals together, stays together….in prison.
sheriff

No doubt these low lifes are on welfare, state sponsored medical care, food stamps & scream about paying taxes , as if they ever have . Gun carrying scimbags white trash that goes to show you the cycle of criminal activity is passed on. Same a-holes that scream about gun rights also.

DRnumnuts

Whoa… You forget to take your meds today?

phil

Everyone knows about abuse passed thru generations. Alcoholism passed thru generations (etc). What is so amazing about the fact that criminal behavior is taught and is generational? Ask any long term Police Office. This is not really a story. Next.

whatever

Stereotype much?
TNGirl

Okay Sheriff, I believe you…..Your your spelling and the fact that you’re unable to construct a proper sentence leads me to think that maybe you are a real cop. Citizens have every right to be suspicious of those enforcing the laws of victimless crimes — especially some flunky thug with a buzz cut. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of someone who sold drugs that forced their “customers” to use their products. The actions of cops, DEA, lawmakers, etc. do nothing but make these “products” more desirable. Also, who wants to bet that a few guns and a couple of pounds of weed come up “unaccounted for” while in police custody?

John_B

Sorry TNGirl but you are way off base. There is no such thing as a victimless crime and this story is proof positive. Here we have GENERATIONS of a family selling dope to countless others who take in home and use it, affecting the future of any family they have. And please get some help yourself with the whole “spelling and grammar” thing. I guarantee the folks you are arguing against as well as the folks you are trying to protect will fail any test you provide. They do not care so you shouldn’t.
COPS ARE ROBBERS

You should still have the right given to you by god to make your own choices in life. The government is not your god or daddy. Nor does it have actual god given right to take your rights away.

Government is over stepping it’s role. (as with everything it touches)

Also noticed how you attack the charactor showing that don’t really know how to think for yourself yet.

jasperddbgghost

White, yellow, green… doesn’t matter. Looks like they are just about fat enough to have their own reality show. They can be scheduled in right after Operation Repo.
Gaucho

They can put their new reality show right after “Lizard Lick” towing…after all, inbreeding, lack of education, violence and drugs are all part of the same hillbilly culture.