Category: Public Safety

Bernie Sanders condemns the assassination of Charlie Kirk

“Freedom and democracy are not about political violence,” said Sanders. “It is not about assassinating public officials. It is not about trying to intimidate people who speak out on an issue. Political violence, in fact, is political cowardice. It means that you cannot convince people of the correctness of your ideas, and you have to impose them through force. Every American, no matter what one’s political point of view may be, must condemn all forms of political violence and all forms of intimidation.”

Franklin County drug dealers face the Feds

John “Fluffy” Lapan, 41, of St. Albans appeared in U.S. District Court on Monday afternoon for a federal criminal complaint that he was involved in three controlled drug purchases in February, according to an affidavit from the St. Albans City Police.

Meanwhile, Jonathan J. Letourneau, 36, also of St. Albans is named in a separate criminal complaint for a charge of knowingly and intentionally distributing crack cocaine in Franklin County in January, records show. He is due in federal court later.

Blaise in trouble again for drugs

Thomas “T.J.” Blaise, 44, was found with nearly one pound of cocaine following a motor vehicle stop by Vergennes City Police on Tuesday night, records show.  A digital scale was found under the driver’s seat, along with a large amount of currency loose inside a bag and more concealed in a sock, HSI said.

Death penalty for NEK Border Patrol case

One new count charges Youngblut “with malice aforethought, unlawfully killed” Maland by shooting him while he was engaged in the performance of his duties. The second new charge maintains Youngblut carried a firearm during a crime of violence – the murder alleged in count one of the new indictments. She used a Glock model 23 .40-caliber pistol, the indictment said. One of the previous charges has been amended to say that Youngblut actually shot at two Border Patrol Agents that were with Maland.  The new indictment identified them only by the initials “J.M” and “D.W.”

Addison County farmhand denies aggravated assault on co-worker with broken bottle

Jose Armando Lopez Moreno, 22, of Panton was ordered held for lack of $5,000 bail.  He also denied a misdemeanor count of simple assault by striking the victim in the head with a bottle.
Marcos Diaz Lopez, 23, also of Panton had to be airlifted to the UVM Medical Center in Burlington following the incident on Jersey Street in Panton about 5:30 p.m. Thursday, police said.