Former Vermont Woman, Now Living In The Bronx, Sentenced To 35 Months In Jail For Distributing Heroin

Tristram J. Coffin, United States Attorney for the District of Vermont, stated that Chelle Soutiere, 38, was sentenced on April 3, 2014 by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Christina Reiss, to 35 months in prison for conspiring to distribute heroin in Vermont.  Additionally, Soutiere was sentenced to three years of supervised release to be served at the conclusion of her prison term.

According to Courts records, Soutiere traveled from the Bronx on the MegaBus to the Burlington, Vermont area to sell heroin, oxycodone pills, and suboxone tablets.  Between September of 2012 and March of 2013, she traveled to Vermont carrying controlled substances on a number of occasions.  She sold controlled substances in Franklin and Chittenden counties, including St. Albans and Burlington, Vermont.  This is her second federal drug conviction in Vermont.                                                                                                                             

Soutiere was arrested by the Southern Vermont Drug Task Force on March 28, 2013.  On June 6, 2013, a federal grand jury charged her with conspiracy to distribute heroin as well as other charges.  On December 19, 2013, Soutiere pled guilty to Count 1 of the federal Indictment, conspiracy to distribute heroin.  She has been detained in prison or, alternatively, been in drug treatment since her arrest.

This case was investigated by the Northwest Drug Task Force.  The United States Attorney, Tristram J. Coffin, commends that task force for its work.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorney, Nancy J. Creswell.  Soutiere was represented by the Vermont Federal Public Defender, Michael Desautels.