By Mike Donoghue

BURLINGTON — A Franklin County woman has pleaded guilty in federal court to 5 felony charges that were filed as an offshoot of a criminal investigation into an out-of-state gang member killed at a Swanton home in February 2022.

Misti-Lynn Morin, 43, of Swanton admitted she was among at least four people to willfully conspire to distribute crack cocaine between July 2021 and February 2022 and that she knowingly allowed her residence at 361 River Street to be used as a “Crack House” to help distribute the drug between April 2021 and Feb. 2, 2022.

Morin also admitted to three counts of knowingly possessing various firearms while being an unlawful user of and addicted to a controlled substance.  The court papers listed the guns involved as a 9-mm semiautomatic pistol on July 4, 2021, a multi-caliber receiver assembled as an AM-15 semi-automatic assault-style rifle on June 19, 2020 and a Berretta 9-mm short (.380) semi-automatic pistol on Feb. 2, 2022 — the day the homicide was reported.

Elijah Oliver, 22, of Haverhill, Mass. was found dead inside 45 First St. in Swanton about 4:35 a.m. Feb. 2, 2022, authorities have said.

Nobody has been charged in court with the killing of Oliver, who was identified as a member of the Gangsta Disciples gang by his hometown newspaper.

The Vermont State Police, the Vermont Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have been leading the sweeping investigation.

The fatal shooting happened during a robbery and Eric Raymond, 32, of Swanton was trying to protect his drug-selling turf, a federal prosecutor has said.  Raymond shared with Morin the home at 361 North River Street.

At least 9 people were in the single-family residence of Elvin Sweet and Crystal Ahl at 45 First St. in Swanton at the time of the fatal shooting, Vermont State Police have said.

Raymond was among those to flee before Swanton Village Police and the U.S. Border Patrol could arrive, court records indicate.

During a court hearing last week, Chief Federal Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford accepted the 5 guilty pleas from Morin.

There was no plea agreement with prosecutors to drop any of the felony charges filed against Morin by the federal grand jury. 

The prosecution agreed to allow Morin, who said she is working as a “lead merchandiser” at an unnamed store, to remain free pending her sentencing.

Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael P. Drescher said the government will be seeking a prison sentence for Morin.

Morin faces up to 20 years in federal prison on both the conspiracy and crack house charges and up to 10 years in prison on each of the three gun charges.

Crawford set the sentencing for May 17 and ordered a Pre-Sentence Report by the U.S. Probation Office.  The long delay will allow for the cases of any remaining co-defendants to be resolved.

Drescher said Morin managed or controlled 361 North River Street in Swanton and used it to help conspirators to distribute crack cocaine.  He said if the case had gone to trial several witnesses would have outlined Morin’s unlawful conduct and her illegal possession of firearms. 

Meanwhile, a Colchester man, who has been linked to the case has been granted a request for a new lawyer. 

Dominique Troupe, 35, of Bay Road now has his fourth lawyer in the case.  Troupe had nearly a half-pound of crack cocaine while coming off the Lake Champlain ferry in Grand Isle in September 2022 when arrested in the current case, court records show.

Troupe and Raymond were the main people behind the drug trafficking conspiracy, court records maintain.

Troupe, who is known by street names “Wop” and “Juice,” is charged with four felony counts and has pleaded not guilty.

A federal grand jury charged Raymond and Troupe for one count of carrying a firearm while furthering their drug trafficking on Feb. 2 — the day of the fatal shooting — and the gun was discharged that day.

Raymond and Troupe and others conspired to commit a robbery and “threaten physical violence to persons and property in furtherance of robbery” by taking drugs, money and personal property by actual or threatened force on Feb. 2, the indictment said.

Troupe was a primary source of supply for crack cocaine being sold at the North River Street residence, Drescher has said in court records.  He added multiple witnesses have indicated Oliver was a rival drug dealer operating out of the First Stret residence and his business was impacting the profits of Troupe and others.

Troupe and others implemented a plan to carry out an armed robbery of Oliver, seeking to steal drugs and money, Drescher said in court papers.  Witnesses reported Troupe drove at least one robber to Oliver’s home to execute the armed robbery, Drescher wrote. 

“The evidence against Raymond includes admissions from those with whom he sold cocaine that the shooting victim’s drug business was eating into Raymond’s,” Drescher has indicated in court papers.

“Witnesses also recount that Raymond made admissions relating to his involvement in the shooting and admonishing others with information about the shooting not to talk about it,” Drescher said at the time.

Authorities have maintained Troupe is a dangerous and untruthful defendant.  Troupe, who also has traveled internationally, is a risk to flee, officials have said.  He has been ordered detained. 

Raymond had left his residence at 361 North River Street during the early morning hours of Feb. 2, 2022 despite a court order requiring him to observe a curfew, Drescher noted.  He added Raymond went to the First Street residence where the fatal shooting happened and while enroute back to North River Street he was picked up by Jesse L. Sweet, 26, of Swanton.

Sweet also had been charged earlier as part of the sweeping investigation.  Sweet filed a signed plea agreement with the prosecution on Dec. 13, 2022 —  the same day the new 10-count indictment was announced.