July 21, 2009

NEW YORK MAN SENTENCED FOR COCAINE CONSPIRACY

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Omar Medina, 23, of Yonkers, New York, was sentenced yesterday before United States District Court Chief Judge William K. Sessions III, following his March 20, 2009 plea of guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine base. Medina was sentenced to 70 months imprisonment, followed by 4 years of supervised release.

Medina and two of his co-defendants, Anthony Johnson and Diane Fortune, were arrested in St. Albans at Ms. Fortune’s residence on March 10, 2008. Jeffrey Champagne, the fourth co-defendant, was arrested on May 15, 2008. According to court records, Mr. Medina was in possession of over 70 grams of crack cocaine at the time of the arrest as well as over $3,000 in cash. At sentencing today, it was agreed that he was responsible for distribution of about 500 grams of crack cocaine. That cocaine was brought from Yonkers, New York to Burlington, Vermont and then sold in St. Albans. Johnson and Medina stayed in an apartment rented by Diane Fortune and had others, including Fortune and Champagne, do most of the hand to hand distribution for them.

Medina’s three co-defendants have also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Diane Fortune was sentenced earlier this year to 60 months imprisonment, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Johnson and Champagne are scheduled to be sentenced in August.

The case was investigated by the Northwest Vermont Drug Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Gelber and Omar Medina is represented by Burlington attorney David Watts.