Vermont Man Sentenced To 24 Months In Prison For Heroin Dealing

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that, on March 22, 2017, Michael Prescott, 52, of Fairfax, Vermont, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison after his guilty plea to charges that he distributed heroin. U.S. District Court Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford also ordered that Prescott serve three years of supervised release after his prison term.

According to court records, in March of 2016, Prescott was obtaining heroin and cocaine from an out-of-state source and distributing it in Vermont. On March 7, 2016, Prescott sold heroin to a confidential informant working with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). DEA captured the heroin deal on video. Prescott was arrested on July 18, 2016 and has been in federal custody since.

For his crime, Prescott faced a statutory maximum term of 20 years in prison. The United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are advisory, recommended that Prescott receive a prison term between 24 and 30 months. The government argued for a sentence within this range. The defense advocated for a sentence of time served. In determining that a 24-month sentence was appropriate, Judge Crawford considered the severity of the offense and Prescott’s lengthy criminal record, which includes a 2004 federal felony conviction in the District of Vermont for conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

Acting United States Attorney Eugenia Cowles commended the efforts of DEA for their work in this investigation. Acting United States Attorney Cowles noted that this case is part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Vermont Heroin Initiative, which is a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to combat heroin distribution in Vermont.

The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Doherty, Jr. Prescott is represented by Federal Public Defender Michael Desautels.