July 14, 2009

HINESBURG MAN SENTENCED TO 12 YEARS FOR DRUG CONSPIRACY

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that . John Hamilton, 40, of Hinesburg, VT, was sentenced yesterday by Chief United States District Court Judge William K. Sessions III to 144 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release for his operation of a conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine in Chittenden County, Vermont.

According to Court documents, Hamilton was the leader of an organization that distributed crack cocaine in Chittenden County between December 2006 and late February 2008. Hamilton pled guilty to the charged conspiracy on March 27, 2009. By stipulation with the government, Hamilton agreed that the operation had distributed between 500 grams and 1.5 kilograms of crack cocaine. He further agreed to forfeit $4,197 in cash and a 1997 Jaguar seized by the government at the time of his arrest in 2008.

Hamilton was charged in March 2008 along with James Shepard of Texas and Douglas Millette of Essex Junction, Vermont. Shepard pled guilty to the charged conspiracy in September 2008 and was sentenced on December 22, 2008 to 37 months of imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised release. Millette pled guilty to operating a drug premises on December 4, 2008, and is awaiting sentencing.

Hamilton was represented by Mark Kaplan, Esq., of Burlington, Vermont. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia Cowles handled the case for the government. Acting United States Attorney Van de Graaf thanked the Burlington, Colchester, Essex, South Burlington, and Winooski Police Departments, all of which investigated the case.