July 30, 2009

NEW YORK CITY MAN SENTENCED TO 168 MONTHS IN PRISON FOR CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE COCAINE AND HEROIN

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Malik Crawford-Bey, 32, of New York, New York, was sentenced on July 28, 2009 by U.S. District Court Judge J. Garvan Murtha to 168 months incarceration and six years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute, as well as actual distribution, of cocaine and heroin.

Malik Crawford-Bey conspired to distribute cocaine and heroin between at least 2005 and 2006 in several areas of Vermont, including Burlington, Vermont. Crawford-Bey was the supervisor and manager of several other individuals who drove to New York City and picked up the drugs from Crawford-Bey. Crawford-Bey shipped cocaine to Vermont hidden in “boom boxes.” Once in Vermont, the drugs were repackaged and hidden in Ban roll-on deodorant containers. These containers were carried by coconspirators who were selling the drugs. To make a sale, the conspiracy members “popped off” the ball portion of the container, spooned out a quantity of either cocaine or heroin onto a portable scale, weighed it, and sold it. Members of the conspiracy stashed some of the drugs in an inoperable Ford Crown Victoria automobile parked near their apartment in Burlington, Vermont.

Crawford-Bey was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 20, 2008. He appeared for an arraignment on April 22, 2008 and was ordered detained that same day. Between February 11 and 17, 2009, United States District Judge J. Garvan Murtha presided over a four-day bench trial. The Court found the defendant guilty on all counts of the Indictment.

This case was investigated by the Burlington Police Department with the assistance of several other agencies including the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Essex Police Department. The Acting United States Attorney, Paul J. Van de Graaf, commends those agencies for their work. The case was prosecuted by Mr. Van de Graaf and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy J. Creswell. Crawford-Bey was represented by John Mabie, Esq.