By Mike Donoghue, Vermont News First
A dangerous six-time convicted felon from Philadelphia, busted on charges for selling drugs in Burlington City Hall Park, will be staying in federal custody after he reportedly made multiple threats to retaliate against a state judge for imposing cash bail in his criminal case and to hurt correctional guards, court records show.
Burlington Police initially arrested Aaron M. Badeau, 35, on state charges for three felony sales of crack cocaine and one felony count for possession of about 40 grams of the drug in prepackaged distribution quantities on Sept. 30.
State Judge Kate Gallagher mandated the out-of-state man, who goes by the street name “Philly Whiteboy,” needed to post $10,000 to ensure his appearance for arraignment in Vermont Superior Court in Burlington, court records show.
Burlington Detective Julian Gonzalez reported that Badeau became unglued when he learned about his bail conditions and that he would be transported to the Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans Town pending arraignment in court.
“Badeau became extremely irate when finding out he had bail,” Gonzalez wrote. “Badeau began to make extremely concerning statements and comments of retribution.”
Gonzalez said in a court affidavit the defendant — apparently unaware that the judge was a woman — made claims he would find “him” and “his” place of work.
Badeau further indicated he would punch out people at corrections and kept making comments how he was from “Philly,” police said. Badeau said he did not care about conditions of release and that he would go back to Burlington City Hall and Decker Towers, a high-rise apartment complex where city police reported they seized some of his drug stash, records show.
Gonzalez said once Badeau was placed in a police cruiser for his trip to prison, he made a comment to the effect “you don’t think I’ll find out where you live “dumb (expletive) judge…”’
Badeau added that he planned to go wild once he got to prison with the guards, Gonzalez reported.
“Once at NWSCF, Badeau refused to comply, and force had to be used on him by corrections offices,” Gonzalez wrote.
During his state arraignment the following morning, a judge bumped the bail to $50,000. The feds soon filed a detainer on Badeau to ensure he did not get out before going to U.S. District Court, which has strict bail conditions compared to the limited restrictions in state court.
Gallagher had also ruled that if Badeau’s state bail was posted, he had to refrain from going to City Hall Park or Decker Towers, where he had been staying at 230 St. Paul St.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Vermont agreed to adopt the criminal case and brought his conduct to the attention of Federal Magistrate Judge Kevin Doyle, who ordered him held this week without bail. The defense did not object.
Badeau entered not guilty pleas to knowingly and intentionally possessing with intent to distribute crack cocaine on Sept. 30 and for three counts of sale of crack cocaine on Sept. 9, 18 and 24.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Nolan said in court papers that Badeau over the past 17 years has “demonstrated that he is a dangerous recidivist who refuses to comply with the law, the courts and law enforcement.”
Nolan noted that Badeau’s six felony convictions include arson in 2017 and fleeing from police in 2023. He also has seven misdemeanor convictions, including terroristic threats in 2016 and reckless endangerment in 2023, all since 2008.
Badeau also had two pending arrest warrants in Pennsylvania for failure to appear in court (Jan. 10) and probation violation (Feb. 3), and is subject to 3-year Protection from Abuse Order that expires in December 2026, court records show. He also was charged with “Default in Required Appearance” in November 2009 and September 2014, they note.
After they busted Badeau at Burlington City Hall Park, police seized more drugs and a scale with white powder on it during a court-ordered search at Decker Towers, records show.
Investigators learned Badeau was utilizing a residence of a friend to assist in his illegal trafficking, Interim Police Chief Shawn Burke told Vermont News First. The friend told police Badeau would pay $75 a month to stay at the apartment at Decker Towers and Badeau would also sell him crack cocaine, court records note.
Burke has said the arrest was part of a recent ongoing effort to crackdown on drug use and abuse in Burlington. Burke said police have monitored multiple controlled purchases of drugs since late August.
Burlington has been fighting the escalating drug pipeline with Philadelphia for a number of years. A large number of dangerous drug dealers come to the Burlington area because of the potential increased profits selling drugs in Vermont and the limited chance of detection and punishment.