HARBESON — A 21-year-old Lewes man was arrested on Thursday afternoon by members of the First State Fugitive Task Force and Delaware State Police Special Operations Response Team (S.O.R.T.), according to Delaware State Police Spokesman Master Cpl. Gary Fournier.

Jhareed A. Ayers was wanted by Georgetown’s Troop 4 Major Crimes for an alleged home invasion involving a firearm as well as an aggravated menacing complaint involving a gun out of Troop 7 in Lewes.

Master Cpl. Fournier said that during surveillance efforts in the Lewes area, Mr. Ayers was identified as a rear seat passenger in a black Hyundai Elantra being driven by an 18-year-old female on Lewes-Georgetown Highway.

The driver pulled into the parking lot of the Dollar General located at 28168 Lewes-Georgetown Highway, where Mr. Ayers was taken into custody without incident.

Once in custody, Mr. Ayers was found to be in possession of 117 bags of heroin (0.819 grams) and around 2.69 grams of crack cocaine.

The front seat passenger, Jaliel Perry, 18 of Lincoln, was found to be wanted on three failure to appear capiases issued by Sussex Family Court.

He was also taken into custody without incident and found to be in possession of about 2.08 grams of crack cocaine along with one ecstasy pill.

Mr. Ayers and Mr. Perry were both transported to Troop 7 in Lewes where Mr. Ayers was charged with two counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Master Cpl. Fournier said Mr. Ayers was also arrested for an incident that occurred on Dec. 16, 2021, in which he and two other suspects unlawfully entered a residence in the 17000 block of Needle Drive in Lewes.

Once inside, they allegedly confronted a 57-year-old male victim with a handgun and struck him in the back of the head before fleeing the house with a safe that contained more than $1,500.

At the time of the incident, three juveniles, ages 7, 4 and 3, were all in the house. None of the victims were injured.

In this incident, Mr. Ayers was charged with possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, first-degree burglary (home invasion), aggravated menacing, possession of a deadly weapon by a person prohibited, theft over $1500, second-degree conspiracy and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

Mr. Ayers was also arrested for possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, aggravated menacing, possession of a deadly weapon by a person prohibited and offensive touching stemming from an alleged Dec. 22, 2021, incident that took place in the 19000 block of Duffy Street in West Rehoboth.

Mr. Ayers is alleged to have forced a 53-year-old man standing outside that location at gunpoint to knock on the door to the residence.

When a nearby car alarm went off, Mr. Ayers and a second unknown male left the area in a dark colored SUV. The male victim was uninjured in the incident.

Mr. Ayers was committed to Sussex Correctional Institution in Georgetown in default of $353,300 total cash bond for all listed charges.

Mr. Perry was charged with possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

He was issued a $10,400 unsecured bond on the drug charges but was committed to Sussex Correctional Institution in default of $800 secured bond due to his outstanding capiases.

The 18-year-old female driver was released from the scene without being charged.

One of the suspects involved in the home invasion on Needle Drive has been identified as James R. Ayers, 20, of Lewes. He has not been arrested and detectives are currently searching for him. A third suspect has yet to be identified.

Anyone with information on James Ayers’ location is asked to contact Det. C. Simpson at 302-752-3855. Information may also be provided by calling Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333 or via the internet.