United States Drug Enforcement Administration

BURLINGTON, Vt. – On April 16, 2019, DEA New England Division Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle and the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced a multiagency, multi-jurisdictional law enforcement effort that focused on drug trafficking in the area of Brattleboro, Vt. During the three-day operation conducted last week by federal, state, local and county officers, and federal and state prosecutors, law enforcement arrested or charged 16 individuals, searched three residences and one hotel room, and seized approximately 1,000 bags of heroin and 70 grams of cocaine base. Twelve individuals have been charged in federal court with participating in drug trafficking crimes. Two have been charged in state court with drug possession crimes.

 

Those charged in federal court include:

 

Curtis Bunkley, 29, of Brattleboro, charged with distribution of cocaine base, distribution of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute heroin.

 

Sarah Cassell, 32, of Brattleboro, charged with distribution of heroin and cocaine base.

 

Arthur Fisk, 28, of Brattleboro, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base.

 

Daniel DeThomas, 37, of Hartford, Conn., charged with distribution of cocaine base.

 

Luis Duprey, 24, of Holyoke, Mass., charged with using a communication facility to facilitate the commission of a drug felony arising from his attempt to distribute 500 bags of heroin.

 

Rachael Gauthier, 49, of Brattleboro, charged with distribution of heroin and fentanyl.

 

Rory Jackson, 35, of Queens, N.Y., charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine base.

 

Holly Magnuson, 25, of Brattleboro, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base.

 

Robert Newton, 49, of Brattleboro, charged with distribution of heroin.

 

Jocelyn Pond, 29, of Brattleboro, charged with distribution of fentanyl.

 

Justine Pond, 29, of Brattleboro, charged with distribution of fentanyl.

 

Jaylen Pryor, 18, of Brattleboro, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base.

 

Those charged in state court include:

 

Corey Archer, 38, of Brattleboro, charged with cocaine possession.

 

Lee Griffin, 36, of Brattleboro, charged with cocaine possession.

 

Defendants Cassell and Newton are currently fugitives. All other defendants were arrested during the operation.

 

This operation stemmed from careful planning and collaboration by Vermont law enforcement at all levels. The enforcement surge involved the participation of the Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations; Federal Bureau of Investigation; United States Marshals Service; Brattleboro Police Department; Vermont Drug Task Force; Vermont State Police; CBP Air/Marine Unit; and New Hampshire Drug Task Force. Crucial support was provided by the Office of the Windham County State’s Attorney; the Vermont Attorney General’s Office; and the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts.

 

“Fentanyl and heroin abuse are at epidemic levels in Vermont and across the North East,” said Special Agent in Charge Boyle. “DEA is committed to aggressively pursuing drug trafficking organizations or individuals who are coming from out of state to distribute these poisons, in order to profit and destroy people’s lives. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative local, county, state and federal law enforcement efforts in Vermont and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”

 

 “Vermont lost 110 lives to drug overdose death last year, and the County with the most of those deaths was Windham County,” said United States Attorney Christina E. Nolan. “This is an unacceptable tragedy. There is suffering from the drug crisis in every corner of Vermont, not least of all Brattleboro, in light of its geographic proximity to dealers based in the Springfield, Mass., area. This coordinated operation exemplifies the teamwork of Vermont law enforcement and our collective determination to deter and bring consequences to local and out-of-state dealers who ravage our communities. We will continue to surge federal, state, local and county enforcement resources across the state to bring justice to those who profit from death and immense suffering. I commend this outstanding collaborative effort involving so many agencies and prosecutors’ offices.”

 

# # #