The United States Attorney’s Office announced last week that Lamont Hudgins, 42, of Staten Island, New York, has been indicted on charges of distributing cocaine base at a local housing authority high-rise.

Hudgins was arraigned on March 11 and is currently detained pending further proceedings.

Court documents reveal that Hudgins, who has a 2018 conviction for the distribution of heroin and marijuana, is accused of selling cocaine base and fentanyl to a confidential informant on multiple occasions in 2023 and 2024 at Decker Towers on St. Paul Street in Burlington, which provides housing for elderly and disabled residents.

While an indictment merely contains allegations, Hudgins will remain presumed innocent until proven guilty.

If convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million.

Plea deal in Orleans drugs, car chase case – Terry J. Adams, 40, of Derby, appeared in court last week and entered a guilty plea to a series of charges stemming from a high-speed pursuit and narcotics possession. The plea agreement significantly reduces Adams’ potential incarceration time.

Adams was facing six felony counts, but under the plea deal, he pleaded guilty to two felonies — narcotic possession and evading law enforcement — and one misdemeanor charge of reckless endangerment.

The charges originated from an incident in October of 2022, when Orleans County Deputy Sheriff Justin Lindor attempted to stop a vehicle without an inspection sticker on Main Street in Orleans.

The vehicle, driven by Adams, dangerously passed another vehicle in a no-passing zone and accelerated to over 70 MPH in a 30 MPH zone, leading onto Hollow Road with speeds surpassing 80 MPH on a dirt road. The pursuit was terminated for safety reasons.

The chase ended when Adams and other passengers fled the vehicle on foot. Upon his capture, Adams was found in possession of 1.22 grams of fentanyl. A search of the vehicle also uncovered a fully loaded handgun magazine on the driver’s seat and drug paraphernalia.

This agreement proposes a prison term for Adams ranging from three to six years, a reduction from the possible 15-year sentence and $50,000 in fines initially faced. Additionally, the state will drop the remaining charges, including the potential habitual offender charge, with prejudice.

Trespass at Berlin store – Stephen Whitaker, 65, of Montpelier was cited to appear in court on charges of trespass at the Maplefields in Berlin, police say. 

Officers from the Berlin Police Department were called by Maplefields staff about a male that they wanted removed.  Officers responded and spoke to staff who advised they wanted the male, Stephen Whitaker, trespassed from the store.

Officers issued Whitaker with a trespass notice for Maplefields.  Whitaker refused to leave and was taken into custody. 

Whitaker was processed at the Berlin Police Department for the criminally suspended license.  Whitaker was issued a citation into Vermont Superior Court, Washington criminal Division on May 9 at 8:30 am.

Child porn bust in Chester – Paul Frasca, 58, of Chester was arraigned today on seven felony counts of possession of child sexual abuse material. The charges brought against Frasca are the result of a criminal investigation, including the execution of search warrants conducted by the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (VT-ICAC), and included personnel from the Attorney General’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, Hartford Police Department, and Chester Police Department.