Armed dealer Joel Ivan Caquias Aviles, 22, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, will spend 30 months behind bars for his role in a multi-agency operation to crack down on gun violence and drug trafficking in Rutland, Vermont.
According to court records, Aviles was arrested on March 23, 2022, during the execution of search warrants at the Highlander Motel in Rutland, Vermont. Aviles was located in Room 15 of the Motel. A search of that room resulted in the seizure of approximately 37 grams of cocaine base, 168 bags of fentanyl, over $5,000 in cash, and a Glock 9mm handgun.
A Burlington Police Department identification technician examined the Glock handgun, and located Aviles’ fingerprints on the firearm. In 2019, Aviles was convicted of two felonies related to violations of the Pennsylvania Controlled Substance, Drug, Device, and Cosmetic Act. Those prior felony convictions prohibited Aviles from possessing a firearm.
Chief United States District Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford ordered Aviles to serve a three-year term of supervised release after his incarceration. The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the Rutland City Police Department, the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Vermont State Police, the Bennington Police Department, the Weathersfield Police Department, the Rutland County Sheriff’s Department, the Ludlow Police Department, the Rutland Town Police Department, the Vermont Department of Corrections, and the Burlington Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Ophardt prosecuted the case. Aviles was represented by Devin McLaughlin, Esq.
Project Safe Neighborhoods is a program that focuses on reducing violent crime and gun violence by fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case is a prime example of the collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies working together to make our communities safer. Aviles’ sentence serves as a warning to those who would seek to bring harm to our communities through the illicit trade of firearms and narcotics.
The total amount of narcotics seized was 37 grams of cocaine base and 168 bags of fentanyl. The cash seized was over $5,000.
Key Facts
- State: Vermont
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime|Weapons
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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