By Guy Page
The alleged perpetrator of Burlington’s 15th gunfire incident of 2022 has a lengthy drug dealing and drug violence crime record, alleged connections with New York City-based violent crime, and was apparently the recipient of an April, 2021 $17,833 payment from the pandemic-era federal Paycheck Protection Program.
Leon Delima is being held on $5000 bail at Northwest State Corrections Facility in St. Albans, according to press reports citing the Burlington police who arrested him after he allegedly fired shots after 10 PM July 2 near a North Avenue, Burlington bus stop.
He was found by police near the bus stop and was arrested at gunpoint for reckless endangerment and possession of cocaine.
Cocaine and guns are a theme in Delima’s lengthy police record:
- Arrested in June, 2021, in Los Angeles, California for receiving stolen property [source: localcrimenews.com].
- In August 2017, arrested for distribution of cocaine in Burlington. He was driving a car in which Scott Hunter, 19, of Brooklyn NY, was a passenger. Hunter was arrested on suspicion of selling heroin, and on a murder warrant from New York. At the time of Delima’s arrest, he had been a witness of “the last three drug-related shooting incidents in Burlington,” a press release said.
- Also at the time of his August 2017 arrest, Delima already had Vermont convictions for possession of cocaine, obstruction of justice, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, and violation of conditions of release, according to police/press reports.
- In May 2014, arrested with three other people (including a NYC resident) on felony cocaine charges following a federal/local drug raid on an Old North End home.
- In September 2013, arrested for allegedly threatening witnesses in an attempted homicide in Burlington’s Old North End.
Paycheck protection recipient? A Leon Delima of Burlington, Vermont also pops up on several Paycheck Protection Program databases as the April, 2021 recipient of a $17,833 check of the federal government’s pandemic-era paycheck protection program.
It is impossible to determine, with existing information, if this PPP recipient is the same Leon Delima as the alleged Saturday night shooter. However, online searches reveal no other Leon Delima in Vermont. The name ‘Leon Delima’ does not appear in online searching of the Vermont Secretary of State’s business registration database. Still, the following information appears on a Small Business Administration-related website (the SBA administered the federal paycheck protection program):
Entity: Sole Proprietorship
Industry: Marketing Consulting Services
Location: Burlington, VT
Leon Delima is a sole proprietorship located in Burlington, Vermont that received a Coronavirus-related PPP loan from the SBA of $17,833.00 in April, 2021.
Loan Amount: $17,833
Jobs Retained: 1
Loan Approved: 2021-04-24
Loan Status: Ongoing Loan
Lender: Benworth Capital
Leon Delima in Burlington, VT received a Paycheck Protection Loan of $17,833 through Benworth Capital, which was approved in April, 2021. This loan has been disbursed by the lender and has not yet been fully repaid or forgiven. The exact status of ongoing loans is not released by the SBA. Similar information on Delima’s loan appears on the federalpay.org website.
It’s possible that someone with Delima’s criminal record legally qualified for a PPP. According to the SBA, “felons are eligible for a PPP loan under certain standards…..Ineligibility is based on if an owner of 20% or more in the equity of the business is:
- Currently incarcerated
- Currently on probation
- Currently on parole
- Currently subject to an indictment, criminal information, arraignment or other means by which formal criminal charges are brought in any jurisdiction, or
- Within the last five years for any felony has been convicted, pleaded guilty, pleaded nolo contendere, been placed on pretrial diversion or been placed on any form of parole or probation including probation before judgement.”