Under the 13-page signed plea agreement filed Thursday, Bland admits to causing the deaths of both Solomon and White during a drug trafficking crime on Oct. 12, 2023. Both criminal charges carry life sentences. He also has admitted to carrying and using a gun on Oct. 14, 2023 during a drug trafficking crime, which calls for a consecutive life sentence, the plea agreement notes.
George Ellis Phelps, 43, was convicted April 1, in Caledonia Superior Court after entering a guilty plea to cocaine sale or delivery of 2.5 grams or more and fentanyl trafficking.
Ten people were arrested and significant quantities of illegal drugs and cash were seized following coordinated law enforcement operations at two Barre residences on April 4, according to local police. Police reported seizing approximately 13.5 grams of crack cocaine, fentanyl, psilocybin mushrooms, assorted pills, and $1,337 in cash. An additional traffic stop tied to the investigation resulted in the seizure of $6,500.
Marlin Morton, formerly of St. Albans, was driving westbound on Vermont 78 when his 2012 Jeep Liberty went off the road about 5:35 p.m., village police said. Sgt. Kyle Gagne said the Jeep struck a tree and landed upright in the Missisquoi River.
Parishioners said the group’s image of Our Lady of Guadalupe — a revered figure in Catholic tradition and considered the patroness of the pro-life movement — was vandalized with pink paint during the gathering and is now beyond repair.
Two Connecticut men have been indicted on federal drug charges after U.S. Border Patrol agents say the pair fled a traffic stop near the Canadian border and tossed a bag containing fentanyl, cocaine and cocaine base from their vehicle.
A veterinary sedative synthesized in clandestine labs is showing up in fentanyl at rapidly increasing rates, and it doesn’t respond to naloxone
The U.S. Border Patrol arrested Armando Paulino Estudillo, 35, in Lancaster, N.H. as part of a smuggling conspiracy that led to the arrest of a leader with Migrant Justice in Burlington last week.
Blu Zeke Daly, 26, also known as Cullan Zeke Daly, of Manchester, N.H. is facing felony charges of attempted murder of a federal officer and assaulting a federal officer with a dangerous weapon in connection with the shooting in Pittsburg, east of Canaan, Vt., federal court records note.
The victim’s mother wrote that S.193 “missed crossover after valuable committee time was spent on the Burlington ICE hearing instead of advancing time-sensitive public safety legislation.”
Jeffrey Baur, 34, of St. Albans is due for arraignment Friday in Vermont Superior Court in Burlington, state police said.
Jimmy “Coop” Ylimaki, 36, fled to Nicaragua, where he was eventually captured and was recently removed to the United States to face his indictment, officials said.
Three stores targeted in weeks
Second time in three days.
Following an investigation, troopers arrested Malik O. Hardy, 25, of Bennington, on charges including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated stalking with a deadly weapon, reckless endangerment, grossly negligent operation, criminal threatening, and disorderly conduct.
An autopsy of a homicide in the Northeast Kingdom town of Brownington was completed Thursday, March 19 at the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington. The Vermont State Police is able to identify the victim as Alton Wheeler, 79, of Brownington.
Reports and online reviews raise concerns about illicit activity
Ariana Rodger, 43, was taken into custody late March 18 in connection with the death of a man found at a residence on Willoughby Lake Road. She has been charged with second-degree murder, first-degree aggravated domestic assault, and violation of conditions of release.
Peaceful protesters don’t mind being directed by police. Agitators do – and suckerpunch the cops, Morrison said.
Logan Clegg was convicted of killing Steven and Wendy Reid in April 2022. Police searched for months for the killer before Clegg was arrested in Vermont in October 2022 after authorities tracked him down in a Burlington public library. Clegg is a former employee of a Burlington grocery store, according to other news reports.Â
Smoke and fire pouring out of the truck greeted I-89 exit 10 traffic – including this reporter.
The Chittenden Solid Waste District (CSWD), Vermont’s largest solid waste management entity, has fallen victim to a highly sophisticated phishing scam, losing $3 million—nearly 20% of its $15.6 million fiscal year 2026 budget.
Anyone who receives a suspicious email or phone call claiming to be from a Vermont state agency should not click any links, open attachments, or respond to the message.
Arrested after day-long stand-off
Brittney Roberts, also known as Brittney Metivier, 36, of Barre, was arraigned March 5 in Vermont Superior Court on one felony count of fraud or deceit involving a regulated drug.
State fire safety officials revoked occupancy in residence.
Police say the suspect is believed to have entered apartments in a 55-and-older residential community and taken property belonging to residents.
Deputy sheriff continues to recover from injuries
Driver flees, but caught in Grand IsleÂ
Eight states bucked the national trend. Vermont recorded a 5% increase in traffic fatalities, joining Hawaii (+25%), Wyoming (+12%), Kansas (+10%), New Mexico (+8%), Idaho (+7%), Louisiana (+5%) and Colorado (+3%).
A federal court jury convicted Dominique “Wop” Troupe, 39, of Bay Road on four felony drug, gun and robbery charges following a six-day trial in Rutland in May 2024. Troupe helped plan the robbery in Swanton four years ago and reportedly had told the two gunmen he recruited for the case that nobody was supposed to be injured, prosecutors have said. The armed robbery for the drugs went sideways. Elijah Oliver, 22, of Haverhill, Mass. died from two gunshots inside the residence at 45 First St. in Swanton about 4:35 a.m. Feb. 2, 2022, Vermont State Police said.
Vermont State Police have identified the victim of a fatal Valentine’s Day shooting during what was initially reported as an apparent domestic dispute in the town of Corinth in Orange County.
The Grand Isle County Sheriff’s Department said local, state and federal investigators raided the home of Kevin Manning, 42, of Lake Drive on Friday evening and seized stolen property.
In a news release, BPD said it responded to the burglary on Feb. 4. Among the items stolen was a large amount of loose change. BPD received a tip that Thomasina Howard was at Hannaford emptying a large amount of coins from a backpack into a coin exchange machine. When police arrived, they found she had exchanged nearly $450.
Six people have been arrested in Windsor County on various criminal charges involving multiple kidnapping counts, aggravated assault and heroin trafficking as part of a brutal abduction that crossed state lines and included burning the victim repeatedly with a heated knife and using hydrogen peroxide to waterboard her, court records show.
The Council’s deliberations occurred against a backdrop of deteriorating roadway safety conditions as speed-related fatalities increased 50% between 2023 and 2024.
Federal authorities say they are investigating a report about a bogus letter purportedly written by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to at least one Vermont gun store claiming the U.S. Government was temporarily suspending the Second Amendment right to have guns.
Palmer, a Democrat, upset longtime Windsor County Sheriff D. Michael Chamberlain, a Republican, during the General Election in November 2022 and was sworn in Feb. 1, 2023.
One widely shared account suggests that during the struggle, one or more ICE officers shouted “gun,” prompting another officer to draw a weapon. According to this version, Pretti’s sidearm was removed by an officer who then walked away, but the weapon discharged negligently. Some commentators point to the Sig Sauer P320 handgun, which has been the subject of lawsuits and controversy over unintentional discharges, typically when dropped. The theory suggests the discharge may have led other agents to believe Pretti was firing, resulting in what they perceived as a justified use of deadly force. “If this is what happened, it’s an incredibly unfortunate accident,” one commenter wrote.
A 26-year-old Glover man was arrested early Sunday morning following a series of alleged vehicle-related crimes that began at a nursing home parking lot and ended with his capture at a nearby residence, according to Vermont State Police.
Dead are: Kendall Lemay, 38, of Cadyville, N.Y., a driver, and Jacob Rivers, 41, of Plattsburgh, N.Y., a front seat passenger, police said.
Milton resident still recovering from shooting
Just off court supervision for Central Vermont drug case
Killer will remain on state probation after for life after prison
Harley Breer Jr., 56, who public safety officials consider “one of the most dangerous criminals in the state,” was denied release from prison by the Vermont Parole Board on Thursday. His adult criminal record, which began when he was 18, includes 25 felony arrests with 14 convictions, parole board records show. Breer also has 47 misdemeanor arrests with 11 convictions, they noted.
Anti-Israel coalition asks for resignations, ethics probe
Vermont police say that the likelihood of DUI crashes is twice as likely when the driver is under the influence of drugs, compared to alcohol.
The state’s no-bail policies and a perceived “revolving door” justice system have left many residents and businesses feeling unprotected. Beyond the personal pain and financial hardship crime causes, there’s a broader economic toll: individuals, businesses, and even the state suffer under the weight of persistent crime.
“As it stands today, Vermont has created a loophole that allows violent offenders to sit in legal limbo for years,” Rodgers said in a statement ahead of the event. “That is not justice for victims, and it’s not public safety.”
Officers were called to the area of North Winooski Avenue and Grant Street at about 9:36 p.m. on Dec. 22 after receiving multiple reports of gunshots. Witnesses also reported seeing several people running from the area, police said.
U.S. Homeland Security Investigations began an investigation after learning Reginald Adam Velasquez, 33, attempted to buy a Glock .40-caliber pistol from a federally licensed gun dealer in Barre on Nov. 14, court records show. He listed his Bradford address on the form and not the more recent Barre residence, records show.
Stephen A. Lane, 56, who operates Single Needle Acupuncture on Battery Street, appeared in federal court with his two defense lawyers on Friday for arguments on why he should be released to the community pending trial.
Police were called to the area at about 11:39 a.m. on Dec. 20 after a family member reported their daughter may have been assaulted by her partner, Khalil Young, 28, and was possibly unable to leave the residence. The caller also reported that the partner was threatening to harm himself with a firearm in front of her.
Douglas Reynolds, 37, tried to outrun the marshals service in his black Volkswagen Jetta at speeds over 100 miles per hour, but eventually ran out of gasoline in Ryegate during the pursuit on Oct. 24, 2024, officials said.
Anthony T. Seagroves, 34, was ordered to serve a 26-month prison term on Friday for having a loaded privately made firearm — also known as a “ghost gun” — in downtown Burlington on Oct. 14, 2024.
An illegal alien from Mexico, who authorities say used counterfeit immigration documents to get hired at a Chittenden County business, has been sentenced to five months in federal prison for unlawful reentry into the United States after being deported multiple times.
Police say the burglary occurred on November 28, at about 12:57 a.m. at the Cambridge Village Market on South Main Street in Cambridge. Following an investigation, troopers developed probable cause that Ian Gardner, 39, of Burlington committed the offenses of burglary, grand larceny, unlawful mischief and possession of stolen property.
A former Stowe resident has pleaded not guilty in federal court to a series of felony charges, including a possible death penalty case for reportedly killing two out-of-state drug dealers in the Northeast Kingdom in 2023.
Swanton Police arrested Mustafa M. Muhammed and Anthon R. Avery and seized crack cocaine, fentanyl, cash and a defaced gun.
Homeland Security reports other fatal/serious accident TT crashes with Indian drivers
State Police arrested a Massachusetts man early Sunday after he allegedly threatened troopers with an axe and chainsaw.
In addition to the 120-month prison term, Judge Vyskocil ordered 10 years of supervised release after McGrath completes his sentence.
A longtime South Burlington man, who received a 20-month federal prison sentence in 2023 for intimidating phone calls to Vermont criminal justice officials, is back in trouble – this time for state charges of stalking and criminal threatening Middlebury College employees.
From midnight to 2 p.m., Vermont State Police responded to 50 weather-related crashes: 27 in the northern half of the state and 23 in the south. Seventeen of those wrecks happened on interstate highways, with one injury reported, while 33 occurred on secondary roads, resulting in three injuries.
Second case by Justice Department in as many months
Patrick Cota, 32, sped away from both the Addison County Sheriff’s Department and the Middlebury Police on Friday during separate incidents in Salisbury and Middlebury, officials said.Â
Angel Elias Estremera, 26, also possessed five other firearms unlawfully that were unknown to law enforcement when they conducted a court-ordered search at his Derby Line residence late last month, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said in federal court papers.
Court releases again; Business owner blasts Burlington Â
David A. Zapata, 32, who is wanted in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, was later linked to more than 5 ounces of fentanyl found in a bag in an apartment at 33 Ethan Allen Ave. that he had been using recently, officials said.
A wanted Rhode Island fugitive, who assaulted five U.S. Border Patrol Agents in the Northeast Kingdom with an unregistered machine gun last year, pleaded not guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Burlington to four felony gun charges.
The stated aim of The Spark is to “curb domestic violence.” As the program expands, a critical question for policymakers and the public will be how to measure its effectiveness.
She and colleague named in murder warrants in Los Angeles
A Chittenden County man has pleaded not guilty to four federal charges, including selling fentanyl within 1,000 feet of two South Burlington schools and with providing the drugs that killed one person and seriously injured another. Aldrain “Corleone” Ashby, 40, formerly of Waterbury, was ordered held Monday afternoon as a danger to the community and a risk to flee.
Phil Scott’s 14-point Burlington plan repeats the same mistake Vermont has made for years: mistaking compassion for policy.
A drug possession charge was added at arraignment when the police search uncovered more than 13 grams, including packaging of crack cocaine in his bedroom, records show.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has given federal prosecutors in Vermont the green light to seek the death penalty for a Burlington man, who authorities say fatally shot two out-of-state drug dealers in the Northeast Kingdom two years ago.
Morgan reportedly live-streamed sexually explicit conduct of a minor child, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua L. Banker.
Charged with bringing 9 more aliens this week into JayÂ
Federal authorities say a Mexican, who was charged in state court with attempted murder and aggravated domestic assault in a strangulation case involving a woman in Addison County in September, is an illegal immigrant and should never have been in the United States.
Charged with crack cocaine at Burlington City Hall Park
What makes these calls convincing is the use of real data — names, addresses, or partial account numbers — pulled from earlier data breaches or public records. Caller ID spoofing adds another layer of deception by displaying a familiar or official-looking number.
Two hours of deliberation were all the Orleans County jury needed to sentence Cedano for the 2019 crime.
A man cited October 3 in connection with a lawnmower theft in Highgate was arrested again last week after allegedly violating court conditions 30 times tied to numerous prior charges and probation cases. This time, he was jailed on $2000 bail.
Seeking longer prison term in upcoming sentencing in fentanyl and crack case
The company waited 320 days—nearly 11 months—to warn victims.
Todd S. Popovitch, 44, of West Rutland. He also received a concurrent four-year prison sentence in U.S. District Court in Burlington for possession of a World War II submachine gun that was not registered under the National Firearms Act.
A Milton firefighter pulled the seriously injured driver out of his burning pickup truck after it crossed into the oncoming Lane and struck a car driven by a woman who died in the crash.
A Barton man who fired multiple shots through a neighbor’s home where a toddler was present received a deferred sentence after pleading guilty to assault charges.
Police say Badeau set up shop in Decker Towers and sold crack in City Hall Park. Like many recent Burlington drug arrests, he has a criminal history in the Philadelphia PA area.
Tovi Rose Mesick, formerly known as Christopher M. Mesick, claimed self-defense when Stephen Furtado, now 47, was shot inside his residence at the Salmon Run Apartments on Riverside Avenue in Burlington in February 2023.
The Friday the 13th video begins with Hendry following Gray into a Portland St. apartment building to investigate a report of domestic assault by Mason on his wife.
Fifth defendant picked up on indictment
A Barre resident from India will continue to be held behind bars as his criminal case for reportedly lying during an attempt to buy a semiautomatic pistol at a Washington County firearms shop plays out in federal court.
One accomplice in Danville homicide ordered to serve over 9 years
Burlington Police Officer Brady McGee was identified as the police officer involved in a shooting that injured a city man on Sunday, Vermont State Police said this afternoon. State police also confirmed in the news release that Aaron Loucks, 32, of Burlington was the wounded man. Vermont News First had reported on Monday that Loucks had been shot the night before.
“Brattleboro officers received a report of a physical altercation in the area of Elliot Street which possibly involved a firearm. Brattleboro police responded with multiple officers and began investigating and were able to locate two males known to be involved in the incident. One victim reported he was struck with a taser and pepper spray….”
Humility, integrity, community, and family were common themes throughout the morning ceremony.
The platforms most commonly cited include Discord, Telegram, Roblox, and Minecraft, though experts caution that the group can surface on any platform where children can interact online.
Hartamal Singh, 34, of West Street appeared in U.S. District Court in Burlington late Thursday for a federal criminal complaint for making false statements about his immigration status during the attempted purchase of the Ruger at R & L Archery on Smith Street in Barre on Oct. 12, 2023, the ATF reported.
Vermont woman arrested for providing base of operations
