October 8, 2009
FOUR QUEBECERS CHARGED WITH
MARIJUANA SMUGGLING CONSPIRACY
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Eric Algier, age 33; Dominic Carey, age 31; Arthur St. Amour, age 57; Shirley St. Amour, age 55, all from Quebec, were arraigned in federal court in Burlington yesterday on a marijuana smuggling conspiracy charge.
According to court documents, the four defendants were arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents on October 4, 2009, during the course of an alleged smuggling episode. A Criminal Complaint filed on October 5 asserts that the conspirators had been bringing in loads of marijuana since early 2009. The group operated by having men hike through the woods from Canada into the United States carrying large bags of the drugs. Around the same time, two cars would come over the border from Canada at the Richford, Vermont Port of Entry. The first car would look to see if law enforcement was in the area. If not, the second car would meet the hikers and pick-up the drugs. Authorities executing a search warrant at a commercial storage facility in Enosburg Falls, Vermont, used in connection with the conspiracy, seized $91,460 in US currency.
The four defendants were indicted by a Grand Jury on October 7. At their arraignment later that day, Magistrate Judge John M. Conroy released Carey and the two St. Amours on pretrial supervision pending trial. Algier was detained pending a bail hearing on Tuesday, October 13.
The charge brought in the Indictment carries a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment. The United States Attorney cautioned that the Indictment is merely a charging instrument, and that the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The investigation is being handled by the United States Border Patrol and the prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney William Darrow. Eric Algier is represented by Richard Goldsborough, Esq.; Dominic Carey is represented by Paul Volk, Esq.; Arthur St. Amour is represented by Richard Bothfeld, Esq.; and Shirley St. Amour is represented by Robert Behrens, Esq.
