Burlington, VT – Dominique Troupe, 37, of Colchester, was found guilty by a jury of drug, gun, and robbery offenses on March 22, 2024.
Troupe was convicted of distributing cocaine base, also known as ‘crack cocaine,’ in Swanton, Vermont, and maintaining a consistent distribution operation in the area from at least July 2021 until January 2022.
However, a rival distributor of crack cocaine moved into the residence at 45 First Street in Swanton, resulting in a significant decrease in Troupe’s sales. To address this issue, Troupe’s associates came up with the idea to rob the rival dealer of his drugs and money, which Troupe later turned into reality.
On February 2, 2022, Troupe employed two associates to attempt an armed robbery at 45 First Street, supplying one of the robbers with a firearm. Tragically, during the attempted armed robbery, Elijah Oliver, 22, of Massachusetts, was shot twice and killed.
According to the jury’s verdict, Troupe faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years’ imprisonment and a potential maximum sentence of life. The ultimate sentence will be determined by reference to the Sentencing Guidelines and statutory sentencing factors.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigative efforts of the Vermont State Police, including the Major Crime Unit, the Narcotics Investigation Unit, the Crime Scene Search Team, and the Technology Investigation Unit.
“This case is another tragic example of the intersection of guns and drug distribution in Vermont,” said U.S. Attorney Kerest. “We are grateful to the men and women of the Vermont State Police for their response to and investigation of the tragic events in Swanton in February 2022.”
Assistant United States Attorneys Jason Turner and Michael Drescher prosecuted the case, with Troupe represented by Chandler Matson, Esq. The Vermont State Police thanked their federal partners for their pursuit of justice in this case.
Troupe remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending post-trial proceedings.
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Key Facts
- State: Vermont
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Sex Crimes|Cybercrime|Public Corruption|Weapons|Human Trafficking|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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