ATF links him to unsolved double homicide in Burlington 

A dangerous Crips street gang member, who officials say was part of a drug-related conspiracy that led to a double homicide in Burlington two years ago, pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court on Friday to a federal cocaine trafficking charge.

Farleek “Q” Hopkins, 33, of Burlington denied during his court arraignment that he conspired in Vermont between June 2022 and Nov. 12, 2023 with others known and unknown to the federal grand jury to distribute cocaine and to possess the illegal drug with intent to distribute it.

The drug conspiracy led to the fatal shooting of Anthony R. Smith Jr., 26, of Vergennes and Khalif M. Jones, 27 of Stowe and Burlington at 4 Decatur Street near Intervale Avenue on Nov. 12, 2023, according to the office of Acting U.S. Attorney Michael P. Drescher. 

New York City Police also listed Jones as an associate with the Crips, a violent New York City street gang, according to the U.S. Marshals Service in Vermont.  They were looking for Jones as a fugitive in December 2019.    Other records show Hopkins and Jones were both gang members of the “8trey Crips.”

Hopkins was among those present for the double fatal shooting – and for the first time Friday he was publicly identified as one of the triggermen, according to court papers filed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The ATF said witnesses indicated that the fatal shooting may have been about the theft of a large amount of drugs stolen at Decatur Street from Hopkins or one of his associates.

Hopkins, who had been in Texas for his birthday, came back to the Decatur apartment and was upset, the ATF said.

The witnesses said the only people with a motive to shoot Jones were Hopkins or his associate Bienvenido Hernandez, ATF Special Agent Sam Brown said in a 29-page court affidavit.

“They knew Jones shot Smith and understood that Hopkins shot Jones,” Brown wrote about the witnesses in the case.

No homicide charges have been filed in state court for the double shooting in the Old North End.

Both Smith and Jones were shot in the head about 9:15 p.m. on that Sunday night at the home of Estevan Alvarez and Allissa Gilbert, the ATF said.

Smith was dead at the scene, while Jones was rushed to the UVM Medical Center where he died about 11 p.m.  There was a large number of people at the apartment house, police said.

Burlington Police said they initially theorized Jones, also known as “Leaf,” fatally shot Smith, who also is known as “Quizzy.” 

Police at a press conference the day after the double homicide would only say a third man shot Jones.

A Ruger .380-caliber pistol found in the hand of Jones was believed to have been used to kill Smith, the ATF said.

A 9-mm firearm, believed to be the second weapon, was unaccounted for as officers combed the crime scene, police said.

During the arraignment for Hopkins on Friday, Federal Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle approved a request by the prosecution that he be denied bail in Vermont.

Hopkins is serving 9 months in a New York prison for contempt of court, records show. U.S. Marshals brought him to Vermont.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Nate Burris wanted Hopkins held should his New York sentence be completed before the Vermont drug case is resolved, court records show.

Burris noted Hopkins has no respect for the judicial process and was likely to ignore any release conditions.  His record includes two convictions for contempt of court, including the one with the current prison sentence, Burris said.

“The allegations against Hopkins follow a lengthy criminal history rife with violent conduct,” Burris said in court papers.

In 2008, Hopkins was convicted of criminal possession of a weapon, defaced for concealment, and was sentenced to a 16-month to 4-year prison term.  Less than a year later, Hopkins was convicted of attempted robbery, records show.  In 2015, he was convicted of assault with intent to disfigure, dismember or disable and was sentenced to eight years in prison, Burris wrote.  On the same day, Hopkins was also convicted for criminal sale of a narcotic drug, he said.

Shortly after his release on parole, Hopkins was convicted for another assault, Burris said.

The Drug Conspiracy

The ATF paints an elaborate ongoing drug conspiracy in the court papers unsealed about Hopkins on Friday. 

Some witnesses said they had run out of drugs over the holiday season of 2022 while selling for Tyquan Washington, the ATF said.  The witnesses said they eventually traveled to Waterbury to purchase drugs for resale from the “Alphabet Crew,” who consisted of Hopkins, Hernandez and Terrell Williams, Brown explained in his affidavit.

The witnesses said they were aware Hopkins sold cocaine, crack cocaine and methamphetamine, the affidavit noted.  They reported Hopkins had bricks of cocaine and ounces of methamphetamine and fentanyl, Brown wrote.

The witnesses reported Hopkins initially sold “eight balls” for $150 to $200 and ounces for between $900 and $1,200, Brown said.  They also reported Hopkins had backpacks full of cash and recalled seeing him flashing firearms a few months before the fall of 2023.  

Brown said the witnesses reported Hernandez did not like them and was known to put a handgun to their head.  Hernandez was known to short people on drug deals by providing light eight balls – about 2.8 grams instead of the standard 3.5 grams, Brown said.  The witnesses said they only went to Hernandez when Hopkins and Williams were unavailable, he wrote.

The “Alphabet Crew” also had other members, known as “D,” who sold crack cocaine and heroin; “P,” who was a driver, helped in money laundering and finding places to stay, and “S,” the enforcer, Brown said.  He said they later met somebody higher in the drug chain known as “L.”

During one meeting at the Waterbury residence, Hopkins, Williams, Hernandez and Washington set “ground rules” about pricing and territory for drug distribution activities in Vermont, Brown said.

During one planned drug hookup, Hopkins said he was busy, but he would send his nephew and Estavan Alvarez showed up for the meeting, Brown said.  The witnesses said when Hopkins went out of town, Alvarez was in charge, court records noted.  

On the day of the double homicide, witnesses reported they were at 4 Decatur Street earlier in the day when Hopkins asked for a ride.  The witnesses said Hopkins and Hernandez accompanied them in a Chrysler 300 to the Katelyn Russell residence in Starksboro.  They remained there for about 45-60 minutes, and they later learned Hopkins had dropped off drugs for Russell to sell on his behalf, Brown said.  

They arrived back at 4 Decatur Street at 8 p.m. and dropped off Hopkins and Hernandez and waited side, Brown said.  The witnesses said they later heard “popping sounds” and less than a minute later, Hopkins, Hernandez and a third male came out of Decatur Street and got into the Chrysler, Brown reported.

They were told to flee anywhere but eventually were instructed to head to New York City, Brown said.  

Brown said during the course of the 17-month investigation he was able to review digitally extracted contents of numerous cell phones and social media accounts belonging to individuals associated with the conspiracy.

The double homicide was one of three shootings reported to Burlington Police during the night of Sept. 12-13, 2023.  A shooting near the Hilton Garden at 101 Main Street and Pine Street about 8 p.m. may have been linked to the double homicide, police said. The third shooting was later on East Avenue and was unrelated.

The Chittenden County Gun Violence Task Force, which was created earlier in the summer with police officers from outside the city of Burlington, was called in to help Burlington Police with the rash of shootings, including the double homicide.