United States Drug Enforcement Administration

BURLINGTON, Vt. – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Zahir Allah, 42, of Springfield, Massachusetts was sentenced today to serve 34 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, specifically cocaine, cocaine base and fentanyl.  United States District Judge Christina Reiss ordered that after Mr. Allah’s release from custody, he must serve a 3-year term of supervised release.

According to court records, law enforcement began investigating Zahir Allah in early 2022. In May of 2022, inside of an apartment in Winooski, Vermont, Mr. Allah sold heroin to a confidential informant. On June 23, 2022, investigators executed a search warrant on the Winooski apartment. When police tried to open the front door of the apartment, they were unable to do so because Mr. Allah leaned against the door from the inside to keep it closed. After law enforcement finally made entry, they found Zahir Allah in the apartment and placed him under arrest.   Investigators searched Mr. Allah and found a distinct blue bundle of fentanyl on his person. They then searched the apartment and found packages of glassines of fentanyl, matching the distinctive blue color packaging of the drugs found on Mr. Allah’s person, inside of a dresser drawer.  From inside of a backpack within that same dresser, law enforcement found approximately 190 grams of cocaine base and approximately 301 grams of cocaine.  In total, 999 glassines containing fentanyl weighing more than 20 grams were found in the apartment. 

United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Vermont State Police, South Burlington Police Department, and Winooski Police Department.

Assistant United States Attorney Zachary B. Stendig handled the prosecution.  Assistant Federal Public Defender Sara Puls, Esq. represented Zahir Allah.