By Michael Bielawski,
The notoriously potent synthetic drug fentanyl continues to appear in Vermont police press releases, including the latest incident in Weathersfield, Vermont. On Friday, State Police reported that a confidential informant helped bring to police an alleged fentanyl dealer.
Danielle McAllister, 42, of Weathersfield, is being charged with the possession of fentanyl, crack cocaine, and their report called “narcotic/stimulant/depressant”. The Vermont State Police Drug Task Force and the Weathersfield Police Department worked together on this case.
The arrest stemmed from a months-long investigation by detectives with the Vermont Drug Task Force into “the distribution of fentanyl and cocaine” within the Town of Weathersfield. The investigation involved "the use of confidential informants who purchased fentanyl from McAllister.”
Fentanyl in three additional reports
In the past week, the Green Mountain State has seen nearly a fentanyl-related report each day. In Bradford on Wednesday, police said that two adults were “clearly” under the influence of drugs, with fentanyl being the primary suspected culprit.
WFFF Burlington reported, “Officers responded to a suspicious vehicle report at Elizabeth’s Park at roughly 11:20 a.m. On the scene, police found Lacey Paye, 33, of Groton, and Raymond Lacasse Jr., 38, inside a vehicle passed out.”
In the vehicle, police found crystal methamphetamine, fentanyl, and crack cocaine. The two face charges for fentanyl trafficking and possession.
In another incident on Monday, March 24, a 56-year-old man faced charges after officers stopped him in a vehicle and said they found fentanyl.
“[Paul A. Neilson] was screened and arrested on suspicion of DUI. At the scene, police say they also found 2.5 grams of fentanyl on him,” WFFF Burlington reported.
In another incident, this time in Sheffield, “Several people face gun and drug charges after a bust in the Northeast Kingdom on Tuesday,” according to a WCAX report from Tuesday, March 25.
The report states, “Tony Lapoint, 55; Monique Lapoint, 32; Kane Quilez, 21; and Louis Velazquez, 23, were arrested after police found five guns and at least 45 grams of fentanyl at a home on Route 122 in Sheffield.”
Sanders agrees Fentynal is no good
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., recently said that he generally agrees with the new administration in their hardline stance on fentanyl.
Sanders wrote, “I think cracking down on fentanyl, making sure our borders are stronger… Look, nobody thinks illegal immigration is appropriate, and I happen to think we need comprehensive immigration reform, but I don’t think it’s appropriate for people to be coming across the border illegally.”
Reclassified by feds
FilterMag.org reported that the US Senate on March 14 passed legislation that would “permanently ban fentanyl-related substances under Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. S. 331.”
Also known as the Halt All Lethal Trafficking (HALT) of Fentanyl Act, the new policy "would escalate the mass incarceration crisis by fast-tracking prosecution of cases involving any substance with a chemical structure similar to fentanyl, even if the substance is inert.”
Controversies with undercover work
As noted with the most recent fentanyl bust on Friday, an undercover informant was used to conclude the case. Justice.gc.ca details how risky - and sometimes corrupt - undercover work can be.
“Undercover work is dangerous—the danger appears to increase in proportion to the severity of sentences targets of such operations stand to serve—and open to manipulation. For example, informers might provide false information in order to receive payments or to punish competitors or enemies. Other informers may become overzealous 'supercops' and create criminals, using prohibited methods,” they report.
The author is a reporter for the Vermont Daily Chronicle
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