Laura Berard Sentenced

A Burlington woman has been sentenced to 8 months in federal prison for her role in a drug conspiracy. Laura Berard, 55, pleaded guilty to charges that she conspired to distribute heroin and cocaine base.

According to court records, Berard permitted a heroin and cocaine dealer from the New York City area to use her apartment as a base from which to deal drugs. The apartment, located on North Champlain Street in Burlington, was adjacent to the Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes, a public elementary school.

Berard’s guilty plea was entered on December 29, 2016, and she was sentenced on April 6, 2017, by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Christina Reiss. In addition to the 8-month prison term, Berard was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after her prison term.

The charges against Berard stemmed from a federal grand jury indictment returned on June 2, 2016, which charged her and her co-defendant, John Williams, aka “Ace,” with conspiring to distribute heroin and cocaine base and distributing those substances within 1000 feet of a school. Williams’ case is still pending trial.

Berard faced a statutory maximum term of 20 years in prison for her crime. However, the United States Sentencing Guidelines recommended a prison term between 8 and 14 months. In determining the appropriate sentence, Judge Reiss considered factors such as Berard’s poor health, the severity of the offense, and her lengthy criminal record, which includes a federal conviction in the District of Vermont in 2000 for distributing heroin.

Acting United States Attorney Eugenia Cowles emphasized that the indictment against Berard’s co-defendant is an accusation only and that he remains innocent unless and until he is proven guilty. Cowles commended the Burlington Police Department, HSI, and DEA for their work in this investigation, which is part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Vermont Heroin Initiative. The initiative is a coordinated effort to combat heroin distribution in Vermont.

The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Doherty, Jr, while Assistant Federal Public Defender Steven Barth represented Berard. The case highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement agencies to combat drug trafficking in Vermont and the severe consequences that await those who engage in such activities.