Brooklyn Man Gets 37 Months for Vermont Heroin & Coke Run

BURLINGTON, VT – Leander Hannibal, 39, of Brooklyn, New York, will spend the next 37 months in a federal prison cell after pleading guilty to trafficking heroin and cocaine base into Vermont. U.S. District Court Judge William K. Sessions III handed down the sentence on April 17, 2017, and ordered an additional three years of supervised release upon Hannibal’s release from custody.

The feds say Hannibal was making regular trips from New York City to Vermont throughout June and July of 2016, using the Green Mountain State as a market for his poison. According to court documents, Hannibal wasn’t exactly subtle. DEA agents caught him red-handed on July 15, 2016, seizing approximately 11 grams of heroin and 28 grams of cocaine base. He’s been cooling his heels in federal custody ever since.

While Hannibal faced a potential 20-year stretch behind bars, both the prosecution and defense agreed on the 37-month sentence. Judge Sessions wasn’t just going by the agreement, though. He considered the seriousness of the crimes, the documented damage heroin has inflicted on Vermont communities, and Hannibal’s existing criminal history before finalizing the punishment.

Acting United States Attorney Eugenia Cowles isn’t letting up on the war on drugs in Vermont. She praised the collaborative effort of the DEA, Burlington Police Department, and the Vermont State Police Drug Task Force in bringing Hannibal to justice. This case, Cowles emphasized, is a key component of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Vermont Heroin Initiative – a multi-agency push to choke off the supply of heroin flooding the state.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Doherty, Jr. led the prosecution in this case. Hannibal was represented by Robert Behrens of Burlington law firm Behrens, Venman & Sussman. While a 37-month sentence might seem lenient to some, authorities hope it sends a message to those looking to profit from the misery of addiction in Vermont: the risks outweigh the reward.

Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the ongoing efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks operating within the state. The opioid crisis remains a major threat, and law enforcement agencies are working overtime to stem the tide. This conviction, while one victory, is just a small part of a much larger battle.

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