VERGENNES — The head of the John Graham Shelter said she was never consulted about the Addison County non-profit possibly receiving a $500 donation from a prominent Vergennes woman who was given a free pass from facing a felony charge of false swearing about an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent.

Graham Executive Director Susan Whitmore told Vermont News First that she was unaware of the recent non-court resolution of a criminal complaint about Alicia Grangent, the former head of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Vergennes.

Grangent, 49, had falsely claimed she was accosted by a federal ICE agent while shopping at the local Shaw’s Supermarket in January, Vergennes Police reported.

Whitmore told Vermont News First she would not confirm if a personal check had been received, but clearly was unaware of the agreement State’s Attorney Eva Vekos struck with Grangent not to prosecute her.

Whitmore, in responding to a Vermont News First story from this week, asked a reporter multiple times during the interview why a pre-court donation deal would be struck without the shelter being contacted.

Vermont News First reported this week that Vekos opted not to file criminal charges of false swearing, a felony, and providing bogus information to Vergennes Police, a misdemeanor against Grangent.

As part of her decision not to honor the court citation issued by Vergennes Police on March 25, Vekos said Grangent agreed to make a donation to the community.

“I asked Grangent to give something back to the community, which she did with a $500 donation to the John Graham Shelter,” Vekos said in an email to Vergennes Police. She confirmed to Vermont News First last week that a financial donation was expected.

Vekos never presented the 10-pages of sworn police affidavits outlining the criminal conduct to a judge.

Vermont News First followed up to see if Grangent did make good in recent weeks on her pledge to donate, but has been unable to confirm it.

Grangent has sat on the governing board of the John Graham Shelter in Vergennes since 2022, records show.

Whitmore said Wednesday evening Grangent, who has moved to St. Louis, remains on the Graham board and is likely to remain on it until this summer when her term ends.

Whitmore, who has headed the local shelter for more than four years, said she still supports Grangent.

Grangent also sits on the board of trustees for the Porter Medical Center in Middlebury.

Grangent filed a complaint with the Vergennes Police that claimed she was confronted in the dairy aisle in the Shaw’s supermarket investigation by a federal ICE Agent on Jan. 28.

She claimed the man asked for her immigration papers and was singing the chorus to “Born in the USA” by Bruce Springsteen.

Grangent later went on social media to make claims about the incident that proved false, Vergennes Police said.

Chief Jason Ouellette said the Shaw’s took a financial hit because immigrants and others avoided the supermarket due to a false fear ICE Agents were present. He said the community and ICE also were both impacted negatively by the false reports.

A lengthy investigation revealed Grangent’s claim was pure fiction, the chief said.

No ICE agents were in the city, Ouellette said.

Grangent’s shopping excursion was captured on store video surveillance, but fails to show any confrontation, the sworn affidavits noted.

During the nearly 10-week investigation, Grangent made false statements to Chief Ouellette, Detective Jill Harter, Sgt. Mark Barber, Officer Mark Stacey and Administrative Assistant Christina Brace, police said.

Grangent also repeated her claims to Special Agent Josh Otey of the Vermont Office for Homeland Security Investigations.

She also made claims to State Rep. Matt Birong, D-Vergennes.

Vekos appeared surprised when Vermont News First told her that Grangent proposed donation was to a volunteer board that she has served on for three years.

Vekos said she passed on filing the charges because Grangent had no known criminal record, her age, and the suspect recently relocated to St. Louis.

Grangent has said Job Corps hired her to be a deputy center director in St. Louis.

The charitable donation is believed to be tax exempt for Grangent’s income tax return next year.

Grangent provided the false sworn statement as part of the criminal investigation headed by Vergennes Detective Jill Harter, police said.

Grangent also falsely pointed out a man in a photo lineup as the suspect she said confronted her, police said.

Police said Grangent eventually acknowledged during the comprehensive investigation that she fabricated her claims.

“Grangent agreed that based on the surveillance video, it appears the incident did not occur,” Harter wrote in a sworn affidavit.

“She expressed that in her ‘inner core’ she felt as though it had happened. I reiterated to Grangent that it did not occur, and she concurred, stating that in her psyche, she created it,” the detective wrote.

Grangent, when reached this week by phone by Vermont New First, asked, “Why is it a story?”

She promised to call back, but has not in recent days.

Vekos, in making the decision to take no action, admitted to Vergennes Police they might not like her decision.

“I review (sic) this case and decided not to charge it,” Vekos said in an email to Harter announcing the decision two days before the scheduled court arraignment. A copy was also sent to the police chief.

“But, in recognition of the hard work that you and other officers did in the case, I asked Grangent to give something back to the community, which she did with a $500 donation to the John Graham Shelter. Also, she is now living and working in St. Louis,” the prosecutor wrote.

“I’m sorry if this is not what you wanted to hear, but it is what it is. Happy to talk further if you like,” said Vekos, who has had a rocky relationship with local, county and state police in Addison County.

See earlier post for more details.