United States Drug Enforcement Administration

RUTLAND, VT. – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on February 4, 2026, Joseph Llano, 26, of Springfield, Massachusetts, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mary Kay Lanthier to a term of 60 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 4-year term of supervised release. Joseph Llano previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine base in Central Vermont. 

According to court records, over the course of multiple years, Joseph Llano operated a drug distribution operation in cooperation with his brother, Justin Llano, his uncles, Tanashe Edwards and Edwin Davila, and numerous other co-conspirators, that trafficked cocaine base and fentanyl from Massachusetts to Central Vermont. The group distributed drugs to a large number of customers in Washington, Orange, and Lamoille counties. The defendant recruited individuals in Vermont that would allow their homes to be used as distribution points for controlled substances by individuals from Massachusetts who would travel to Vermont to distribute drugs, and individuals to courier drugs and proceeds from the sale of drugs between Massachusetts and Vermont. During the course of the conspiracy, the courier that Joseph Llano had recruited made approximately 100 trips between the Springfield, Massachusetts area and Central Vermont. On each trip he brought between 50 and 60 grams of cocaine base to Vermont, and at times also brought wax folds of fentanyl. Joseph Llano also operated a social media page where he would interact with drug customers to facilitate the sale of cocaine base and/or fentanyl. On four occasions, law enforcement completed controlled purchases of cocaine base following communications with Joseph Llano’s social media account.

First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, Barre Town Police Department, Barre City Police Department, Berlin Police Department, and Springfield, Massachusetts Police Department.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Turner. Joseph Llano was represented by David Silver, Esq.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.