Connecticut Man Charged with Murder-for-Hire and Drug Distribution

Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on March 27, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Tremaine Knight, also known as “Brody,” 43, of Hartford, Connecticut, with murder-for-hire and distribution of fentanyl, cocaine, and cocaine base.

Knight’s arraignment will occur on April 3, 2025, before United States Magistrate Judge Judith G. Dein, in Burlington. Knight was ordered detained pending further proceedings on March 25, 2025, following issuance of a complaint charging him with drug distribution on March 20, 2025.

According to court records, law enforcement, working with a confidential informant (“CI”), conducted five controlled purchases of drugs from Knight between February and March 2025. The first three buys occurred in Massachusetts, and the last two buys occurred in Brattleboro, Vermont, with Knight traveling from Hartford to meet the CI. During the first Vermont buy, Knight sold to the CI approximately 140 grams of powder cocaine and over 40 grams of fentanyl, and during the second, Knight sold the CI approximately 150 grams of powder cocaine, 30 grams of cocaine base, and 85 grams of fentanyl.

During one of the Massachusetts buys, Knight asked the CI if the CI would be willing to kill a man who had disrespected and stolen from Knight. Knight offered $10,000 for the man’s death. In subsequent conversations and during the subsequent buys, Knight provided the CI with additional details regarding the man’s identity and the plan for the murder. During one of the Vermont buys, Knight paid the CI a $1,000 deposit for the murder by canceling a drug debt. Knight was taken into custody following that buy.

The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Knight is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. For the murder-for-hire charge, Knight faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Because the charged drug distributions involved 40 or more grams of fentanyl, Knight faces a minimum of five years and a maximum of 40 years if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.

Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the Vermont State Police-Vermont Drug Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Vermont State Police Westminster Barracks, the Western Massachusetts FBI Gang Task Force, the Northern Connecticut FBI Gang Task Force, the Brattleboro, Vermont Police Department, and the Hartford, Vermont Police Department.

The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Corinne Smith. Knight is represented by Sarah Star, Esq., and the Office of the Federal Public Defender.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).