April 10, 2008

ST. JOHNSBURY COCAINE RING BROKEN UP

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District
of Vermont announced the successful completion of the prosecution of members of a large conspiracy that trafficked in kilogram quantities of cocaine in the St. Johnsbury area. On April 9, 2008, the leader of the drug ring, Wilfredo Guzman, pleaded guilty in United States District Court in Brattleboro to a charge that he conspired to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine. In recent months, seven other members of the conspiracy also pleaded guilty to federal drug charges. Those persons include Amy Nitchke, Justin Conley, Jeffrey Maurice, John Harvey, Fred Mitchell, Raymond Holloway and Chad Ste. Marie. Two others persons have pleaded guilty to federal firearms charges stemming from this same investigation.

In coming months, U.S. District Judge J. Garvan Murtha will sentence all defendants. Guzman and Conley face up to life imprisonment and mandatory minimum 10 year sentences, as well as fines up to $4,000,000. The other defendants face lesser terms. All sentences will be determined with reference to federal sentencing guidelines.

The United States Attorney commends the Vermont State Police Northeast Drug Task Force for its investigation of this matter. The ring was broken up in April 2006 with the arrest of Guzman in St. Johnsbury.

Guzman is represented by David Williams; Nitchke by David Watts; Conley by Mark Kaplan; Maurice by Lisa Shelkrot; Harvey by Karen Shingler; Mitchell by Richard Goldsborough; Holloway by Richard Bothfeld; and Ste. Marie by Kurt Hughes. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.