By Mike Donoghue
Vermont News First

BURLINGTON – A former two-time U.S. Open snowboarding champion from Windsor County has been charged in federal court with possession of methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl with intent to distribute following a raid at his home and training site.

Rahm Klampert, 45, of Hartford, who offers personal training workouts, pleaded not guilty to the one-count felony indictment last week.

Hartford Police said law enforcement seized more than 1.1 kilograms (2.43 pounds) of methamphetamine, 1.5 kilograms (3.31 pounds) of cocaine, 75 grams of fentanyl (2,700 individual baggies), 12 firearms and $103,671 in U.S. currency, along with a money-counter machine during the raids.

Also seized were a dozen firearms that included multiple suspected short-barreled shotguns, assault rifles, and handguns, three of which have been identified as stolen, police said.

Hartford Detective Lt. Thomas Howell Jr. said in a federal court affidavit the raids were conducted at Klampert’s Hartford home at 17 Victory Circle and his personal training studio listed as both at 194 Summer Street and on Maple Street on June 20.

Police arrested Klampert that day as part of a domestic abuse investigation, Howell said in his affidavit.  Hartford Police said they also arrested him on state charges of using a firearm while selling drugs, fentanyl trafficking and possession of stolen property.

Howell said Klampert’s cellphone had evidence of messages about drug dealing with multiple persons.  In one case a drug buyer was interested in obtaining one pound of methamphetamine and asked the price.  Howell said Klampert responded with a price.

The phone also had a ledger that showed what drugs were purchased by his customers and what money was owed, according to Howell, who also serves on a federal task force  for Homeland Security Investigations.

Multiple sources of information had reported to law enforcement that Klampert was trafficking drugs in the Hartford area.  Hartford Police detective and patrol divisions began to build a criminal case and the New Hampshire Drug Task Force also had information on Klampert, officials said.

Hartford Police Detective Christian Hernandez obtained multiple state search warrants for Klampert’s property, Howell said.  More than 50 seized items appear to be controlled substance evidence items, he said.

The criminal investigation also revealed that two weeks before the raids, Klampert had fled from Woodstock Police and that his black BMW had been in a minor accident with another vehicle, Hernandez said.  He said Lampert had a woman rent a storage facility in Enfield, N.H. under her name to hide the hit-and-run vehicle.

Hernandez said police also learned that Klampert’s girlfriend was hiding out in Windsor at the home of a friend on June 20 due to a domestic situation with him.  The woman said Klampert was using drugs and selling them out of his house and that he kept drugs and money at his personal training studio that she listed as Maple Street, records note.  The woman also reported Klampert had a large amount of cash and firearms, Hernandez wrote in his affidavit.

The girlfriend, who has no known criminal record, said Klampert reportedly said that he would take her down with him if he ever got arrested, Hernandez wrote.

Howell petitioned the federal court for another search warrant following a discovery by Hartford Special Investigator Eric Clifford, who is a trained computer forensic analyst.  Clifford observed in plain view photographs and conversations related to the sale of controlled substances on a phone, court records note.  He also saw notes memorializing the sale of controlled substances beyond the time authorized in an initial search warrant, records show.  Clifford observed in plain view a notes section on the target device with notations dating as far back as September 2023, Howell wrote. This note appeared to memorialize the sale of controlled substances, including how much money the subject paid and owed, Howell’s request for the new search warrant said.

News accounts indicate that Klampert won two U.S. Open Snowboarding events in 2002 and 2004 at Stratton Mountain.

During Klampert’s federal court arraignment U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle agreed with the government’s request that the defendant was a danger and should remain jailed pending the outcome of the case.

After his initial appearance in state court on drug and domestic abuse charges, Klampert was released on conditions, but he violated them at least three times by maintaining contact with the woman he is charged with assaulting.  That’s when the federal government stepped in with stricter requirements for defendants.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Corinne Smith also told the court there were several search warrant warrants for the defense to review including for his home, garage, personal training studio and a shed, along with his cellphone. 

Assistant Federal Defender Charles Curlett Jr. asked for 60 days to review the evidence and consider filing pre-trial motions. 

Doyle set Sept. 29.

If convicted on the single felony charge, Klampert faces a 10-year mandatory minimum prison sentence and the possibility of up to a life term in prison.

Acting U.S. Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the Hartford Police along with the Vermont State Police, the Vermont Drug Task Force, Brattleboro Police and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations.