United States Drug Enforcement Administration

PITTSFORD, Vt. - The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced today that Scott Chandler, 47, of Pittsford, Vermont, was sentenced today to serve one year and one day of imprisonment for possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and cocaine base.  United States District Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford also ordered Chandler to serve a three-year term of supervised release after his incarceration.

According to court records, Chandler was first suspected of drug distribution activity in the spring of 2020.  On May 24, 2020, Chandler was stopped by a Vermont State Trooper while he was driving his truck north from Massachusetts into Vermont on I-91.  After a canine alerted to Chandler’s truck, the truck was seized pending a state search warrant.  While the truck was impounded, Chandler was detected surveilling the impound lot at the Vermont State Police barracks, and suspected of plotting to enter the lot to access the seized truck.  VSP Troopers attempted to approach Chandler, resulting in Chandler fleeing the area on a motorcycle at a high rate of speed.  Chandler crashed the motorcycle and was apprehended.  A search of Chandler’s truck resulted in the seizure of approximately 600 bags of fentanyl, approximately 13 grams of cocaine, and approximately 1 gram of cocaine base. 

Chandler participated in the Rutland Federal Drug Court from June of 2021 until June of 2022 but did not successfully complete the program.  Chandler was dismissed from the Rutland Federal Drug Court after his arrest for Grand Larceny in Bennington County, Vermont.  The Grand Larceny case remains pending in Vermont Superior Court.

United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the Vermont State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The prosecutor was Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Ophardt.  Chandler was represented by Natasha Sen, Esq.