Colchester Man Sentenced in Drug Case
BURLINGTON, Vt. – The United States Attorney’s Office stated that Carl Martin, 37, of Colchester, Vermont, was sentenced yesterday in United States District Court in Burlington to 48 months of imprisonment following his June 2022 conviction at trial on drug charges. United States District Judge William K. Sessions III also ordered Martin to serve four years of supervised release following completion of his prison term.
According to public records, in February 2018, Carl Martin was involved in a shooting in front of the Nectar’s Bar on Main Street in Burlington. Just before the shooting, Carl Martin punched Rashad Nashid in the face and pointed a firearm at him. In return, Nashid fired his own gun in the direction of Martin. The gunshot hit an innocent bystander who was seriously wounded. In connection with the shooting, Nashid received a 150-month sentence after pleading guilty to two counts of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Carl Martin was never charged for his involvement in the shooting.
Between July and October 2019, Martin sold cocaine to an undercover law enforcement officer on several occasions. In June 2022, a federal jury sitting in Burlington found Martin guilty of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and guilty on four counts of distribution of cocaine. The jury acquitted Martin of a sixth charge related to trading a firearm for cocaine.
“Carl Martin has proven to be a violent individual, committing multiple crimes over a lengthy period of time, using his firearm to solve disputes. Thanks to the thorough investigation and tenacity of ATF Special Agents, with assistance from the Burlington Police Department, Vermont State Police, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the United States Marshals Service, Mr. Martin will now answer for his actions,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge James Ferguson.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest stated, “Federal prosecutors in Vermont are working hard every day to enforce federal firearm laws. Prosecution of firearm-related offenses is at the top of our priority list. We appreciate the dedication of our many law enforcement partners in these cases including the investigation and prosecution of Carl Martin.”
Martin was represented by Chandler Matson, Esq. The prosecutors were Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wendy L Fuller and Andrew Gilman.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn .
