Press Release
Shelburne Man Sentenced To 26 Months In Federal Prison For Illegal Possession Of Firearms
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Vermont
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that, on January 2, 2014, Justin Bosley, 27, of Shelburne, Vermont was sentenced to 26 months in federal prison after his guilty plea to charges that he possessed firearms while being a heroin user. Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss, sitting in Rutland, also ordered that Bosley serve two years of supervised release following his prison term.
According to court records, Bosley was connected to a large-scale heroin ring led by New York City man, Videsh Raghoonanan, a.k.a. ABush.@ Raghoonanan sold large quantities of controlled substances, including over one kilogram of heroin, during a drug distribution conspiracy that lasted from at least 2011 until Raghoonanan=s arrest in December of 2012. Raghoonanan obtained primarily heroin, and sometimes cocaine base, in New York City and transported it to Vermont for re-sale at a significant profit. Raghoonanan would obtain handguns from customers in Vermont in exchange for heroin and then transport those firearms back to New York City. Raghoonanan would also carry a handgun while dealing drugs in Vermont.
In 2011, Bosley provided a semi-automatic handgun to a South Burlington heroin dealer in exchange for heroin. The South Burlington dealer, who worked for Raghoonanan, subsequently provided the handgun to him. Also in 2011, Bosley provided a second semi-automatic handgun directly to Raghoonanan in exchange for heroin. At the time of these exchanges, Bosley was abusing heroin, which made his possession of the firearms illegal under federal law. The two handguns have not been recovered.
For his crime, Bosley was subject to a maximum term of 10 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. In determining the sentence, Judge Reiss balanced, among other factors, the seriousness of Bosley=s offense, his significant heroin addiction, and his lack of a criminal record.
During the course of this investigation, a number of Raghoonanan=s associates and co-conspirators have been convicted of federal offenses. On November 11, 2012, Justin Morrill was sentenced to serve 37 months in prison on a heroin conspiracy charge. On January 15, 2013, Maria Hunton was sentenced to serve 30 months in prison on a heroin conspiracy charge. On January 17, 2013, Ryan Orvis was sentenced to serve 57 months in prison on a cocaine conspiracy charge. On June 3, 2013, Patrick Lepore was sentenced to time-served on a cocaine base conspiracy charge. On October 9, 2013, Eric Jophlin was sentenced to 60 months in prison on a heroin conspiracy charge. On October 17, 2013, Videsh Raghoonanan was sentenced to 145 month in prison for conspiring to distribute heroin and possessing firearms in furtherance of that conspiracy. On December 2, 2013, Marc Wells was sentenced to 24 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute heroin. On December 18, 2013, Barton Gray was sentenced to 59 months in prison on a heroin conspiracy charge. Bosley was the last of the defendants associated with the Raghoonanan ring to be sentenced.
This case was investigated by the Burlington Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. United States Attorney Tristram J. Coffin commended the efforts of these agencies during this lengthy investigation.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Timothy C. Doherty, Jr. Bosley is represented by defense attorney Douglas G. Kallen.
Updated June 22, 2015
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