By Guy Page
A woman convicted of trafficking methamphetamine in Vermont has been sentenced to up to nine years in prison, following a case that involved the seizure of more than a pound of the drug and allegations that she accepted EBT cards as payment.
According to the Caledonian-Record’s Dec. 12 report, Danielle Faye Leach, 39, was sentenced earlier this month in Vermont Superior Court to a term of three to nine years. Leach was arrested in 2024 after law enforcement discovered more than a pound of methamphetamine in a camper she was using in Lunenburg. Prosecutors said she was dealing the drug and at times collected EBT cards in exchange for meth.
After her initial arrest, Leach was twice taken back into custody for failing to comply with conditions of her probation. Essex County State’s Attorney Vincent Illuzzi had sought a longer sentence of five to 15 years, citing the quantity of drugs involved and Leach’s criminal history, which includes prior offenses in New Hampshire. Under Vermont law, a conviction for trafficking methamphetamine carries a maximum possible sentence of up to 30 years in prison.
According to Illuzzi, police found a stack of EBT and gift cards, wrapped with rubber bands, along with the pound of methamphetamine. Leach had been accepting the EBT cards, which are provided to needy Vermonters in order to buy food, in exchange for payment of drugs.
The federal government, through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, provides most of the revenue for Vermont EBT cards. The program is managed by the Vermont Agency of Human Services. Allowing others to use an EBT card is fraud prohibited by state law.
EBT cards are automatically reloaded after 30 days. Applicants also must periodically reapply for benefits.