U.S. Attorney’s Office Recognizes Exceptional Law Enforcement Work at the 2024 Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony

Burlington, Vermont – On October 23, 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont honored a number of individuals from a variety of law enforcement agencies at the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony. Individual investigators and officers from federal, state, and local agencies were nominated by U.S. Attorney’s Office staff in a variety of categories for their outstanding work supporting the mission of this office and promoting public safety. The specific categories and individuals recognized today are as follows:

Investigative Achievement Award: This award criteria are established for those individuals, both sworn and non-sworn who have significantly contributed to the mission of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.  

• Special Agent Samuel Brown, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – nominated for United States v. Carl Martin.
• Special Agent Brian Wood, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – nominated for United States v. Carl Martin.
• Special Agent Nicholas Call, Food and Drug Administration-Office of Criminal Investigations – nominated for United States v. Paul Bateman, Samir Doshi, and Rebecca Buckley.
• Resident Agent in Charge Derek Roy, Food and Drug Administration-Office of Criminal Investigations – nominated for United States v. Paul Bateman, Samir Doshi, and Rebecca Buckley.
• Special Agent Jason Tilley, Food and Drug Administration-Office of Criminal Investigations – nominated for United States v. Paul Bateman, Samir Doshi, and Rebecca Buckley.
• Financial Investigator Joel Garland, Food and Drug Administration-Office of Criminal Investigations – nominated for United States v. Paul Bateman, Samir Doshi, and Rebecca Buckley.
• Special Agent Erin Nelligan, Homeland Security Investigations – nominated for United States v. Michael Burton.
• Special Agent Colin Simons, Federal Bureau of Investigation – nominated for United States v. Eric Colson, Gage Colson, and Antonio Vergara.
• Detective Sergeant Karl Gardner, Vermont State Police – nominated for United States v. Eric Colson, Gage Colson, and Antonio Vergara.
• Detective Trooper Steven Fauteux, Vermont State Police – nominated for United States v. Eric Colson, Gage Colson, and Antonio Vergara.
• Detective Sergeant Aaron Lefebvre, St. Albans Police Department, former Detective with the Vermont Drug Task Force and the Newport Police Department – nominated for United States v. Eric Colson, Gage Colson, and Antonio Vergara.

Outstanding Collaborative Investigation Award: This category is limited to those who have demonstrated outstanding efforts to overcome significant challenges in collaboration with multiple agencies in order to meet the mission of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

• Special Agent Brian Wood, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
• Special Agent Samuel Brown, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
• Detective Sergeant Philip Tremblay, Burlington Police Department
• Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force Officer Durwin Ellerman, Burlington Police Department
• Sergeant Chase Vivori, Burlington Police Department
• Special Agent Erin Nelligan, Homeland Security Investigations
  • All nominated for outstanding collaborative investigation in United States v. Ronald Harris, et al.

• Special Agent Paul Altenburg, Homeland Security Investigations
• Special Agent Anders Ostrum, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation
• Criminal Analyst Nancy Woods, Homeland Security Investigations
• Resident in Charge Alex Zuchman, Homeland Security Investigations
• Special Agent Michael DeFiore, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division, former Detective Corporal with the Vermont Drug Task Force and the South Burlington Police Department
• Detective Sergeant Dustin Robinson, Vermont State Police
• Detective Sergeant Philip Tremblay, Burlington Police Department
• Special Agent Aaron Dince, Homeland Security Investigations
• Special Agent Colin Simons, Federal Bureau of Investigation
• Postal Inspector Jonathan Dunham, U.S. Postal Inspection Service
• Special Agent Brandon Hope, Drug Enforcement Administration
  • All nominated as their agency representatives for outstanding collaborative investigation for United States v. Dajuan Williams, et al.

Award recipients gathered today at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by colleagues and family. Each recipient received an engraved award commemorating their outstanding efforts. U.S. Attorney Kerest stated: “This is one of the best days of the year when we have the chance to recognize law enforcement officers like today’s awardees in the presence of their families. Today’s awardees make the work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office possible, and they do that work with the necessary support of their family and loved ones. We applaud their tireless work and the daily sacrifices they all make.”