July 31, 2009
NINE ARRESTED BY DEA IN BURLINGTON AREA HEROIN AND CRACK CONSPIRACY; OVER $100,000 SEIZED
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that nine persons were arrested yesterday in the culmination of a lengthy investigation into a cocaine and heroin trafficking conspiracy operating in the Burlington, Vermont area.
Appearing in federal court today to answer a Criminal Complaint filed July 29, 2009, were Stephen Aguiar, age 39, of Quincy, Massachusetts, along with Burlington area residents Brian Tahair, age 47; Jessica Adcock, age 33; Lisa Foy, age 31; Herbert Lawrence, age 53; Franklin Grant, age 31; William Murray, age 30; and Jason Opalenik, age 34.
According to the Criminal Complaint, filed by a DEA Task Force Agent, during late 2008 and up until this week, Aguiar regularly supplied cocaine and heroin to his above local dealers, who distributed the drugs in Chittenden County. Also arrested yesterday in Massachusetts on the same complaint was Daniel Reyes, age 35, of Dorchester, Massachusetts, who was Aguiar’s alleged source of the drugs. The Criminal Complaint also charged Jeremy MacKenzie, 26, already in State of Vermont custody. According to the Complaint, “on approximately a weekly basis, Aguiar travels from Massachusetts to Burlington, Vermont, with cocaine and heroin to supply his Vermont distributors. Before leaving Massachusetts, Aguiar regularly stops at Reyes’s address in Dorchester to pick-up drugs.” The investigation began with witness statements, and developed through a series of early 2009 undercover “controlled” drug buys, into mid-2009 wiretap intercepts on Aguiar’s phones.
Federal agents executed seven search warrants in Vermont and Massachusetts yesterday and today, seizing over $100,000 in cash.. According to the Criminal Complaint, for weeks agents listened to and recorded Aguiar arranging drug transactions with his Vermont distributors on Aguiar’s cell phones, pursuant to a wire tap authorizations approved by Chief Judge William K. Sessions III.
Today the United States Attorney’s Office moved for pretrial detention as to five of the defendants. According to the motions, Aguiar has two prior federal drug trafficking convictions in Vermont, and engaged in the charged trafficking while still under conditions of supervised release following service of his last, 92-month term of imprisonment imposed by Judge Sessions in 2001. Similarly, Herbert Lawrence, Franklin Grant, and Jason Opalenik all have prior federal criminal convictions in Vermont. Lawrence was under conditions of federal supervised release imposed in 1990 along with a 160-month term of imprisonment. William Murray was under supervision of State of Vermont officials following prior State convictions.
All 10 defendants face prison terms of up to 20 years under the Criminal Complaint. Acting United States Attorney Paul J. Van de Graaf cautions that the information contained in the complaint constitutes allegations only at this time and that the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force, which includes the Burlington and Essex Police Departments, the Lamoille and Chittenden County Sheriff’s Offices, and the Vermont State Police. The Williston Police Department and the U.S. Marshal’s Service also assisted the investigation. The prosecutors are Assistant United States Attorneys Wendy L. Fuller and Timothy C. Doherty.
