United States Drug Enforcement Administration

RUTLAND, Vt. - The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Brownswell Cedano (a.k.a. “Twin,” “T,” and “J”), 28, of Hartford, Connecticut was sentenced to 84 months of imprisonment on November 10, 2022 in United States District Court in Rutland by Chief Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford. Cedano previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine base. Judge Crawford also ordered that Cedano serve three years of supervised release by the U.S. Probation Office after he serves his term of imprisonment.

Cedano’s three codefendants, Ralph Mariani, of West Hartford, Connecticut, Rashane Wedderburn, of Hartford, Connecticut, and Jasmine Wendell, of West Rutland, Vermont, have all pleaded guilty to drug trafficking offenses. Chief Judge Crawford previously sentenced Mariani to 70 months’ imprisonment. Wedderburn and Wendell are awaiting sentencing. 

According to court records, on November 18, 2020 law enforcement executed a federal search warrant for an apartment at Traverse Place in Rutland, Vermont. Cedano, Mariani, Wedderburn, and Wendell were all present at the time of this search. Law enforcement seized approximately 50 grams of powder cocaine, 34 grams of cocaine base, 69 bags of fentanyl, 52 Oxycodone pills, and four firearms, including a loaded 9mm pistol located on the living room couch. Law enforcement also seized over six thousand dollars in cash: $1,880 from Cedano, $2,380 from Mariani, and $2,134 from Wedderburn.

According to court records, Cedano’s offense involved drug trafficking for profit, possession of firearms, violence, and threats of violence, including his participation of an assault of a female drug addict by Mariani to coerce her into dealing drugs for them in the Rutland area. In addition, Cedano was also trafficking heroin and cocaine base in Orleans County, Vermont. Finally, Cedano was on probation for a Connecticut drug offense while he was traveling to Vermont to sell drugs.

United States Attorney Nikolas Kerest commended the joint efforts of the Vermont State Police (Narcotics Investigation Unit), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Rutland City Police, and Homeland Security Investigations of the Department of Homeland Security in this investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Perella. Cedano is represented by Allan Sullivan, Esq. of Manchester, Vermont.