An Athens man faces federal firearms and drug charges in connection with a poaching ring raided by state and federal police in March, the U.S. Attorney’s office said last week. 

Ryan Goodrich, 37, of of the Windham County town of Athens was arraigned Wednesday, June 1 on an indictment that alleges on March 3, Goodrich unlawfully possessed an unregistered short-barrel shotgun, unlawfully possessed multiple shotguns and an AR-style rifle due to Goodrich’s prior felony convictions, and unlawfully possessed heroin.  

According to court records, Vermont Game Wardens began an investigation of Goodrich in late winter of 2022 for violations of fish and wildlife regulations.  During their investigation, the wardens obtained a search warrant for Goodrich’s Facebook account, which revealed a photograph of a short-barrel shotgun.  The messages within the account revealed Goodrich had discharged the weapon and likely possessed it at his residence.  

The wardens coordinated with agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to execute a search warrant at Goodrich’s residence on March 3. During the search, agents located the short-barrel shotgun (which was loaded), multiple additional shotguns, multiple rifles (including an AR-style rifle), 2,978 rounds of ammunition, $6,000 in U.S. Currency, and 880 bags of heroin.  

After the warrant was executed, the federal grand jury returned an indictment on March 10. Agents attempted to locate Goodrich in and around Athens, and in doing so, encouraged people who knew him to have Goodrich turn himself in to law enforcement.  Goodrich did not do so.  

On April 9, Keene, New Hampshire Police located Goodrich at a hotel in Keene. Officers obtained a search warrant for the hotel room, but Goodrich was not inside when it was executed. Agents found evidence of Goodrich’s prior presence, including personal paperwork in a backpack.  On April 19, law enforcement learned that Goodrich was attempting to obtain transportation to Texas. Goodrich was subsequently located and apprehended at a hotel in Deerfield, Massachusetts.

Goodrich faces a maximum sentence of 10 years of imprisonment on each firearm violation.