United States Drug Enforcement Administration

RUTLAND, Vt. - Michael J. Ferguson Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England and the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Alvin (a.k.a. “Baby”), 25, and Stephen (a.k.a. “MJ”), 25, both from Brooklyn, New York, were sentenced by Chief Judge Christina Reiss in U.S. District Court in Burlington. Judge Reiss sentenced Kinard to 48 months imprisonment and sentenced Morrison to 46 months imprisonment. She also sentenced both to three years of supervised release, which will follow their prison sentences. Kinard and Morrison had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin and crack cocaine in the Rutland area.

According to court papers, on September 9, 2013, defendants Kinard and Morrison obtained heroin and crack cocaine in Brooklyn, New York, and began traveling by car from Brooklyn north to Rutland, Vermont with two women from Vermont, one of whom was driving. At Kinard’s and Morrison’s direction, the two Vermont women were carrying over 100 grams of crack cocaine and about 40 grams of heroin, in total. Early that morning, the New York State Police stopped the car for a motor vehicle violation near Albany and seized the drugs. Kinard and Morrison were later charged in Vermont with a longer term drug conspiracy that included many other trips from Brooklyn to Rutland, Vermont.
 
At the sentencing hearings, Judge Reiss stated that a “common theme” of this conspiracy was “using young women” for “body packing” and having young women addicts “take most of the risk” as “human mules.” Judge Reiss also described the adverse impact of heroin on various Vermont communities.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Vermont State Police Drug Task Force, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.