Vermont Drug Task Force On February 14, 2017, 26 individuals were arrested in Orleans County for various offenses related to heroin and opiate trafficking. These arrests stem from an ongoing investigation established by the Vermont Drug Task Force in cooperation with the Vermont State Police, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Newport City Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont and the Orleans County State’s Attorney’s Office, and the Vermont Attorney General’s Office. Over the course of seven months the Vermont Drug Task Force conducted multiple drug investigations focusing on heroin and opioids. The investigations were in response to multiple opiate related overdoses in Orleans County.
In 2016 law enforcement reported 21 overdoses in Orleans County, 3 fatal and 18 non-fatal. These numbers reflect only the overdoses reported to law enforcement as the majority of non-fatal opiate overdoses go unreported to authorities. These overdoses had a tremendous impact on the local community and the Vermont Drug Task Force is committed to conducting investigations to help combat the opioid crisis across the state.
The Vermont Drug Task Force has seen a significant increase in the number of heroin investigations conducted in 2016. Investigators conducted 360 heroin related investigations, an increase of approximately 32% for the same period in 2015 (242 cases). In 2016, approximately 99 offenders throughout the state have been arrested for heroin/opiate related offenses. These arrests are being prosecuted by both state and federal prosecutors. Vermont is also seeing an increase in fentanyl laced heroin and pure fentanyl being sold as heroin. Fentanyl is a dangerous drug that is 40-50 times stronger than heroin, poses a great threat to users and is responsible for multiple overdose deaths.
After conducting a total of 79 controlled purchases of illegal drugs, the Vermont Drug Task Force concluded its joint operation with the arrest of 26 defendants on 87 different charges; including Sale of Heroin, Sale of Crack Cocaine, and Aiding in the Commission of a Felony. Six defendants were recently arrested on Sale of Heroin charges in conjunction with this investigation, and their names are included below.
The Vermont State Police, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Newport City Police Department, the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the United States Marshals Service (USMS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) were instrumental in today’s operation.
Vermont Department of Public Safety Commissioner Thomas D. Anderson praised the collaboration of the these agencies for their hard work and painstaking investigation into this heroin/opioid distribution ring. “This is an example of how cooperative law enforcement by federal, state, and local law enforcement can be a force multiplier in identifying, targeting, and arresting those who are selling this poison in our community,” said Commissioner Anderson. “Our message to drug dealers is simple and clear: Stop dealing, get into treatment or get arrested.”
Vermont State Police Director, Colonel Matthew T. Birmingham highlighted the very tedious and dangerous work that investigators undertook over the past several months. “The dedicated men and women of law enforcement should be very proud of the dangerous and often thankless work they do leading up to this operation today. They are the front lines in our collective efforts to stop the flow of dangerous drugs coming into Vermont.”
Homeland Security Investigations of Boston Special Agent in Charge Matthew Etre also spoke of the seriousness of this work. “Opiate use and trafficking is a growing problem that affects every aspect of our communities,” said Etre. “HSI is committed to working with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to stop those that sell this highly addictive and destructive drug. They must be brought to justice before more lives are lost to this epidemic.”
Governor Phil Scott issued the following statement following the arrests:
“I want to thank the local, state, and federal agencies who collaborated on this long investigation, resulting in 26 arrests. This enforcement effort stemmed from a sudden surge of overdoses in Orleans County, and reflects our commitment to ending drug trafficking in our local communities.
“I applaud the Vermont Drug Task Force, Vermont State Police, Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, Newport City Police Department, the Orleans County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Vermont Attorney General’s Office for their efforts. And I thank our federal partners for their support and collaboration, including the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), United States Marshals Service (USMS) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
“Under the leadership of Commissioner Thomas Anderson, the Department of Public Safety will continue to focus on enforcement efforts among a broader network of individuals selling opiates within their own communities. In addition to these efforts, my Administration remains equally committed to combatting the opiate epidemic with a focus on prevention and treatment, as part of our multi-faceted approach to one of the most serious challenges we face.”
Investigations into additional opiate distribution operations are still ongoing and further arrests are expected in the future.
All available mugshots can be found at this Dropbox link: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/5kisyud03ku0022/AACO4L5TnVZRyjnIR4bwIhmNa?dl=0
ACCUSED: Jason Abel
AGE: 31
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Newport, VT
VIOLATION: Sale of Heroin (4) counts
Sale of Fentanyl (1) count
Court Date: Federal Prosecution
ACCUSED: Terry Adams
AGE: 33
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Newport, VT
VIOLATION: Sale of Heroin (1) count
Court Date: Wanted
ACCUSED: Joshua Bean
AGE: 33
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: North Troy, VT
VIOLATION: Sale of Heroin (1) count
Court Date: 2/14/17
ACCUSED: Danielle Benoit
AGE: 27
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Newport, VT
VIOLATION: Sale of Heroin (1) count
Court Date: Wanted
ACCUSED: Donovan Blouin
AGE: 24
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Newport, VT
VIOLATION: Sale of Heroin (4) counts
Court Date: Wanted
ACCUSED: Nicholas Brown
AGE: 22
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Newport, VT
VIOLATION: Sale of Heroin (4) counts
Court Date: 2/14/17
ACCUSED: Natasha Cady
AGE: 23
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Derby, VT
VIOLATION: Sale of Heroin (1) count
Court Date: Wanted
ACCUSED: Byron Camber
AGE: 21
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: North Troy, VT
VIOLATION: Sale of Heroin (1) count
Aiding in the Commission (1) count
Court Date: 2/14/17
ACCUSED: Robert Cote
AGE: 28
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Newport, VT
VIOLATION: Sale of Heroin (2) counts
Court Date: 2/14/17
ACCUSED: Greg Crease
AGE: 26
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Derby, VT
VIOLATION: Sale of Heroin (2) counts
Aiding in the Commission (1) count
Court Date: Federal Prosecution
ACCUSED: Zachary Flanagan
AGE: 30
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Newport, VT
VIOLATION: Sale of Heroin (1) count
Court Date: 2/14/17
ACCUSED: Tiana Gosselin
AGE: 24
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Newport, VT
VIOLATION: Sale of Heroin (2) counts
Court Date: 2/14/17
ACCUSED: Gordon Kidder
AGE: 31
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Sutton, VT
VIOLATION: Sale of Crack Cocaine (1) count
Court Date: 2/27/17
ACCUSED : Nathan Ladieu
AGE: 36
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Newport, VT
VIOLATION: Sale of Heroin (1) count
Court Date: 2/14/17
ACCUSED: Kenneth Lafave
AGE: 25
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Albany, VT
VIOLATION: Sale of Heroin (1) count
Court Date: 2/14/17
ACCUSED: Jeffrey Markum-Shelton
AGE: 34
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Newport, VT
VIOLATION: Sale of Heroin (3) counts
Court Date: Wanted
ACCUSED: Joshua McAllister
AGE: 27
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Newport, VT
VIOLATION: Sale of Heroin (5) counts
Court Date: 2/14/17
ACCUSED: Jacob McDonald
AGE: 32
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Newport, VT
VIOLATION: Sale of Heroin (1) count
Court Date: 2/14/17
ACCUSED: Michael McFarland
AGE: 33
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Derby, VT
VIOLATION: Sale of Heroin (2) counts
Court Date: Wanted
ACCUSED: Arretta Miller
AGE: 32
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Morgan, VT
VIOLATION: Sale of Narcotic (1) count
Sale of Heroin (1) count
Court Date: Wanted
ACCUSED: Dana Nadeau
AGE: 30
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Charleston, VT
VIOLATION: Sale of Heroin (1) count
Court Date: 2/14/17
ACCUSED: Erin O’Connell
AGE: 33
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Newport, VT
VIOLATION: Sale of Heroin (1) count
Aiding in the Commission (2) counts
Court Date: Federal Prosecution
ACCUSED: Sonya Perkins
AGE: 27
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Newport, VT
VIOLATION: Aiding in the Commission (1) count
Court Date: 2/14/17
ACCUSED: Mickayla Peters
AGE: 18
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Newport, VT
VIOLATION: Sale of Heroin (6) counts
Court Date: Federal Prosecution
ACCUSED: Ashleigh Potwin
AGE: 25
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Newport, VT
VIOLATION: Sale of Heroin (1) count
Aiding in the Commission (1) count
Court Date: 2/14/17
ACCUSED: Kenneth Potwin Sr.
AGE: 48
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Newport, VT
VIOLATION: Sale of Heroin (3) counts
Court Date: 2/14/17
ACCUSED: Jeffrey Savage
AGE: 25
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Newport, VT
VIOLATION: Sale of Heroin (2) counts
Court Date: Federal Prosecution
ACCUSED: Michael Stevens
AGE: 21
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Derby, VT
VIOLATION: Aiding in the Commission (1) count
Court Date: Wanted
ACCUSED: Isaiah Surdam
AGE: 33
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Newport, VT
VIOLATION: Sale of Heroin (1) count
Aiding in the Commission (1) count
Court Date: 2/14/17
ACCUSED: Amy Tullis
AGE: 34
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Newport, VT
VIOLATION: Sale of Non-Regulated (3) counts
Sale of Narcotics (1) count
Court Date: Wanted
ACCUSED: Belinda Turk
AGE: 32
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Newport, VT
VIOLATION: Sale of Heroin (2) counts
Court Date: 2/14/17
ACCUSED: Joseph Rushford
AGE: 23
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Newport, VT
VIOLATION: Sale of Heroin (2) counts
Court Date: Federal Prosecution
ACCUSED: Joshua Limlaw
AGE: 27
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Lowell, VT
VIOLATION: Possession/Trafficking/Transporting into the State; Heroin (1) count
Court Date: 2/28/17
ACCUSED: Jonathan Letourneau
AGE: 27
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Newport Center, VT
VIOLATION: Conspiracy Heroin (1) count
Court Date: Federal Prosecution
ACCUSED: Shawn Gardner
AGE: 31
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Troy, VT
VIOLATION: Conspiracy Heroin (1) count
Court Date: Federal Prosecution
ACCUSED: Laura Brasseur
AGE: 29
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Newport, VT
VIOLATION: Conspiracy Heroin (1) count
Court Date: Federal Prosecution
ACCUSED: Brandon Sheltra
AGE: 21
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Newport, VT
VIOLATION: Conspiracy Heroin (1) count
Court Date: Federal Prosecution
ACCUSED: Jeremy Bathalon
AGE: 28
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Derby, VT
VIOLATION: Possession/Trafficking/Transport into the State; Heroin (1) count
Court Date: 2/28/17
Source: Vermont Department of Public Safety 2.14.2017