Mass. man arrested for drug trafficking in Waterbury
Rafael Santos, 37, of Springfield, MA, was arrested on July 25, at 3:30 PM, at 1159 Ripley Road in Waterbury, following a weeks-long investigation by the Vermont Drug Task Force and Vermont State Police.
Santos faces multiple charges, including two counts of fentanyl trafficking, one count of fentanyl sale, two counts of cocaine sale, and one count of cocaine trafficking. The investigation involved several controlled purchases of cocaine and fentanyl, culminating in a search warrant execution that uncovered significant quantities of these drugs.
Santos was taken into custody without incident and is being held at the Northwestern Correctional Center on $100,000 bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned at the Washington County Superior Court, Criminal Division, on July 26, 2024, at 12:30 PM.
Suspicious death of Morristown resident under investigation
Richard Cote, 76, was found dead in his home at 813 Elmore Street on the morning of July 24. Police discovered Cote’s body after responding to a welfare check requested by an associate concerned for his well-being.
Authorities consider Cote’s death suspicious and are actively investigating the circumstances. His body has been sent to the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington for an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of death. Police believe this is an isolated incident and that there is no ongoing threat to the community.
As of the evening of July 25, the investigation remains active, with detectives following up on leads. The Morristown Police Department is awaiting preliminary autopsy results and continues to seek information from anyone who was in the area of 813 Elmore Street on the evening of July 23. Those with information are urged to contact the Morristown Police at (802) 888-4211.
The investigation has received support from multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Vermont State Police Major Crimes Unit, Stowe Police Department, Lamoille County Sheriff’s Department, Hardwick Police Department, and Vermont Fish and Game Wardens.
CT man arrested for drug operation in Burlington
On the afternoon of July 23, 2024, Burlington Police conducted a drug operation on Buell Street, resulting in the arrest of Christopher Stephens, 37, of Hartford, Connecticut.
The operation followed extensive surveillance, multiple controlled purchases, and tips from the public, as well as information received by Deputy Chief Labrecque. During the operation, officers engaged in a brief foot chase before apprehending Stephens.
Stephens was initially held at Northwest State Correctional Facility on $25,000 bail. He was arraigned the following morning and remains in custody on $17,500 bail.
Police seize 700+ grams of fentanyl in North Troy raid
by Daniel Duric
Vermont State Police have arrested three men following a burglary investigation in North Troy that led to the discovery of a large-scale drug operation.
The investigation began on July 23, when police responded to a reported burglary on Pine Street. Darin Farley, 36, of North Troy was arrested for allegedly breaking into the residence multiple times and stealing over $30,000 in cash from a safe. Farley faces charges of burglary and false pretenses.
A subsequent search warrant executed at a River Road property on July 24 resulted in two more arrests and the seizure of significant quantities of drugs and firearms.
Andy Soto, 32, of Jersey City, New Jersey, was arrested on multiple charges including possession of stolen property, trafficking fentanyl and cocaine, and defacing a firearm’s serial number.
Police recovered over 700 grams of fentanyl, 676 grams of cocaine, 88 grams of xylazine, more than 21 pounds of marijuana, and over $46,000 in cash. Five firearms were also seized from Soto’s bedroom.
Christopher Beaulieu, 37, of North Troy was cited for felony possession of cannabis.
Farley and Soto are being held at Northern State Correctional Facility with bail set at $5,000 and $250,000 respectively. Beaulieu was released with a citation to appear in court on September 24.
The operation involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including Vermont and New Hampshire State Police units and Homeland Security Investigations.
St. Johnsbury woman reported missing, last seen headed to Maine
by Daniel Duric
ST. JOHNSBURY— Vermont State Police are seeking public assistance in locating Meagan Tellier, a 39-year-old woman from Vermont who has been reported missing by her family.
Authorities were alerted by a worried family member at about 5:22 p.m. Monday that Tellier had not been seen for three days.
An investigation into her disappearance revealed that the last confirmed sighting was on Friday, July 19, when she was seen by a relative.
Tellier, who has connections in Corinth, Bradford, and St. Johnsbury, was believed to be traveling to Maine, but details of her intended travel companions or specific destination remain unclear.
Tellier is described as 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighing around 185 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.
The Vermont State Police have released a photo to aid in her identification.
Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Meagan Tellier is urged to contact the Vermont State Police at the St. Johnsbury Barracks by calling 802-748-3111.
The police emphasize the importance of community assistance in ensuring Tellier’s safe return.
Editor’s note: Meagan Tellier also went missing for several weeks in May and June of this year. This is a separate missing report.
Discover more from Vermont Daily Chronicle
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Categories: Drugs and Crime, Police Blotter
Three more brainless VT people. (If you want to call them VT’ers.) They should spread their talents to Montpelier the Golden Dome population. Give them a one way bus ticket.
We are fortunate to have a comprehensive cultural exchange program to assist these cross border intruders in their endeavors.
With any luck we will grant them voting rights to change these onerous laws that they may be permitted to continue to be the merchants of death.
This new Vermont has a certain vibe about it. Now excuse me while I join the Burlington mayor in my free delivered meal. Then it’s off to the needle exchange to start the weekend awaiting our next round of visitors!
just another day at the vermont zoo//// have you ever wondered who the zoo masters are//// they must have names//// try naming a few/// rafael santos is another tourist from springfield mass.///////
“Eeny meeny miny moe…catch drug dealers by the toe…when they holler let them go…this is the Vermont way we all know.” Rinse and repeat…
Democrats/progressives of the Vermont legislature and the voting public pretend to be concerned enough about people killing themselves that we infringe on the Constitutional rights of law abiding gun purchasers by making us wait 3 days to pick up our purchase…then their policies allow merchants of death to ply their trade almost unimpeded. They call providing a taxpayer-funded supervised facility to engage in the use of deadly drugs “harm reduction”. It’s hard to understand the progressive mindset using logic and common sense.
I suggested in another post, about the killing of an 82 year old woman that this type of stuff is now normal business in Vermont, happening on a bi-weekly basis.
The week isn’t even over yet and here we are again.
We can do much better in Vermont, we were doing much better in Vermont, that is until we adopted big city policies and now “miraculously” we have big city problems.
We can do much better.
We need a change of direction.
Current Montpelier leadership on both sides are an abject failure.
Thank Krowinski the speaker leader.