Brooklyn Man, Melvin George, Sentenced To 60 Months In Jail For Distributing Heroin And Crack Cocaine In Rutland, Vermont

Tristram J. Coffin, the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont, stated that Melvin George, 27, of Brooklyn, New York was sentenced yesterday by J. Garvan Murtha, United States District Judge, to 60 months in jail for conspiring to distribute heroin and cocaine base between September of 2012 and February, 2013 in the Rutland, Vermont area.

According to Court records, Melvin George, known as “Cliff,” was working with other individuals – some of whom he recruited from Brooklyn, New York – to transport controlled substances to Vermont.  Then, he set up meetings with his drug customers by cell phone but sent other individuals, including his codefendants, Tony Eldien and Junior Brooks, to deliver the drugs and to obtain the drug proceeds.  The Southern Vermont Drug Task Force, with the assistance of a confidential informant, made six purchases of cocaine base or heroin from George’s associates.  The purchases occurred in Castleton, Rutland, and West Rutland.  When George was arrested on February 20, 2013, law enforcement found Drug Task Force currency on his person from a drug sale conducted by George that same day.

George was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 11, 2013 and appeared in U.S. District Court on November 7, 2013 for an arraignment.  He was detained in prison pending trial.  George pled guilty on July 31, 2014 to Count 1 of the Indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine base.
The case was investigated by the Southern Vermont Drug Task Force.  The United States Attorney, Tristram J. Coffin, commends the Drug Task Force for their work in this matter.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney, Nancy J. Creswell.  Melvin George was represented by David McColgin of the Office of the Federal Public Defender.