May 18, 2009

ULRIC WRIGHT JAILED FOR MARIJUANA SMUGGLING

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District
of Vermont announced that Ulric “Benji” Wright, 34, of Derby Center, was sentenced today in United States District Court in Burlington to four months of imprisonment following his guilty plea to a charge that he conspired to import marijuana into the United States. Chief Judge William K. Sessions III also ordered that Wright serve two years of supervised release following completion of his prison term. During the first four months of his release, Wright will be on home confinement. Wright must surrender to the Bureau of Prisons to begin serving his sentence on September 8, 2009.

According to court papers, Wright and his co-defendant, Eric Yates of Quebec, Canada, were arrested in the pre-dawn hours of December 17, 2007 after Yates carried and dragged a bag containing about 25 pounds of marijuana through the woods and across the border into Holland, Vermont. At that location, he was picked up by Wright, who was driving his truck. When an alert Border Patrol agent noticed the footprints and drag marks in the fresh snow, he suspected a smuggling attempt was underway. The agent notified other officers, Wright’s truck was stopped, about 25 pounds of marijuana was recovered and the defendants were taken into custody. Information gathered by investigating officers indicated that Yates and Wright had previously made 10-15 similar smuggling trips into Vermont.

Yates, who also pled guilty and had an extensive criminal record in Canada, is currently serving a 57-month prison term.

Wright is represented by Brad Stetler. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.