Heroin Trafficking Sends Rutland Man to Prison for 5 Years

Rutland Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Heroin Trafficking

A 23-year-old Rutland man has been sentenced to five years in prison for his role in a heroin trafficking operation in the Rutland area. Evan Murphy was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin.

According to court documents, Murphy trafficked between 400 and 700 grams of heroin in the Rutland area from January to November 2012. He sold the heroin, supplied by a group of men from New York, to customers in the area. The operation was uncovered in November 2012, when Murphy was arrested for an unrelated state offense.

The heroin trafficking operation was a joint effort between the Vermont Drug Task Force (VDTF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The investigation led to the indictment of seven individuals, including Murphy, who have all entered guilty pleas except one.

On July 24, 2013, a grand jury returned an indictment charging the seven defendants with conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin. The defendants include Joshua Rose, 21, Devon Cruz, 29, Charles Hercules, 23, Alan H. Willis, II, 42, of Tinmouth, and Jean Marie Phillips, 47, of Rutland.

Murphy’s sentencing comes after several of his co-defendants have already received their sentences. On April 28, 2014, Willis was sentenced to 37 months in prison, while Phillips was sentenced to 13 months in prison on May 9, 2014. Rose, Cruz, and Hercules are scheduled to be sentenced over the next two months.

United States Attorney Tristram J. Coffin commended the joint investigation into the heroin trafficking operation, thanking the VDTF, DEA, and FBI for their efforts. Burlington attorney Doug Kallen represented Murphy in the case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig S. Nolan.

The case highlights the ongoing struggle against heroin trafficking in the state of Vermont. As the investigation and sentencing in this case demonstrate, law enforcement agencies are working together to bring those responsible to justice.

Murphy’s sentence serves as a reminder of the serious consequences of involvement in heroin trafficking. The five-year prison sentence is a significant punishment, and one that will impact Murphy’s life for years to come.