Manchester, Vermont Man Charged with Distribution of Heroin, Fentanyl, and Crack Cocaine in the Manchester, Vermont Area

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Torrie Smith, 29, who resided in both Manchester, Vermont and Hartford Connecticut, was arrested on federal drug trafficking charges contained in a two-count Indictment. The charges allege that Smith possessed, with intent to distribute, heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine. 
 
According to court records, the two-count indictment is based on two drug seizures from cars in which Smith was either driving or a passenger. The first count involves a seizure of drugs by the Manchester Police Department on January 25, 2019. According to court records, Smith was a passenger in a car in which the Manchester Police Department later found, pursuant to a state search warrant, approximately 100 grams of cocaine powder, 45 grams of cocaine base, eight grams of heroin and about 44 milligrams of fentanyl. The second count relates to a seizure on November 27, 2018, in Sunderland, Vermont. The Vermont State Police stopped a car in which Smith was driving and later found, pursuant to a state search warrant, approximately 40 grams of cocaine powder, ten grams of crack, and ten bundles of heroin.

Smith was arraigned on April 4, 2019 in U.S. District Court in Burlington and pled not guilty to the charges. Upon the government’s motion for detention, Magistrate Judge John M. Conroy ordered that Smith be detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial.

The Indictment is an accusation only and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. If Smith is convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 40 years with a mandatory minimum sentence of five years imprisonment as well as a fine of up to $5,000,000.  If Smith is convicted, his actual sentence will be advised by the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

This case was investigated by the Vermont Drug Task Force, the FBI, the Vermont State Police (Shaftsbury Barracks), the Manchester Police Department, and the Chester Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Perella. Smith is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender in Burlington.