Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont says Vermont resident Michelle Provencher (also known as Michelle Hall) – 24, from Irasburg, Vermont – has been arrested and taken into federal custody on Friday, January 13. , 2023, following the search of a rented Airbnb residence in Westmore, Vermont, pursuant to a federal search warrant. Two Massachusetts residents identified as Nathaniel Jamal Jones (also known as “JJ”), 36, and Jermaine Douchette, Jr. (also known as “Bear”), 42 – both previously from Springfield , Massachusetts – were also arrested at the rental property. The three people were fugitives who had active federal warrants for their arrest based on an indictment issued by a federal grand jury in the District of Vermont on December 22, 2022, charging them with conspiracy. to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl between August 2022 and October 26, 2022. Jones and Showerette are facing additional counts for specific distributions of controlled substances. Jones and Douchette had previously been charged in a criminal complaint relating to these charges on October 24, 2022.
The indictment alleges that the defendants participated in a conspiracy involving at least seven people who colluded to distribute controlled substances in the district of Vermont. According to an affidavit filed with the earlier criminal complaint, defendants Jones and Douchette distributed controlled substances from the Barton residence of co-defendant Erika Desormeaux. Investigators arranged for the purchase of cocaine and fentanyl from the defendants on several occasions between August and October 2022, and most of these transactions took place at the Barton residence. The complaint affidavit alleges that the conspirators acquired and possessed firearms during the investigation and attempted to acquire firearms through straw purchases.
Defendants Jones, Douchette and Provencher appeared in court for the first time yesterday and were arraigned on the indictment. United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle ordered that defendants Jones and Douchette be held in federal custody pending further proceedings. Defendant Provencher will have a detention hearing on January 20, 2023.
The charges against Jones, Showerette, and Provencher in the indictment are charges only, and they are each presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in subsequent proceedings. If convicted on the main conspiracy count, each defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Actual sentences, however, would be determined by the court based on the U.S. sentencing advisory guidelines and laws governing sentencing.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest praised the investigative efforts of the Northern Vermont Drug Task Force (NVDTF) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) in this case. In particular, he noted the collaboration of the NVDTF and ATF with the Vermont State Police, the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Air and Marine Operations of Customs and United States Border Protection, Newport Police Department (NPD), and Homeland Security. Investigations in carrying out the search for these indicted fugitives.
“This case involves the distribution of deadly substances in a part of the state that has seen a disturbing increase in drug-related violence,” said U.S. Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest. “When Vermont residents who abuse controlled substances support or harbor distributors of these dangerous substances in their homes, the hosts are contributing to the opioid crisis and rising violence. We will continue to investigate and prosecute not only drug traffickers, but also those who harbor drug traffickers in their homes and buy firearms for them.
“VSP is committed to deploying resources to combat and disrupt the dangerous drug trafficking organizations that have taken hold in Vermont,” said Maj. Dan Trudeau of the Vermont State Police. “We will continue to work diligently with our federal and local partners to hold accountable those who smuggle narcotics into the state and commit drug-related violence.”
James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Boston Field Division, said, “With the arrests of Nathaniel Jones, Jermaine Douchette and Michelle Provencher, the people of Vermont, especially those in the Kingdom of Northeast, can take comfort in knowing that serious offenders are being held accountable.Through tireless and cooperative efforts with federal, state, and local agencies, these fugitives were apprehended as quickly as possible to protect our community, and they were eventually brought before the Court to answer the charges.
Orleans County Sheriff Jennifer Harlow noted the positive impact of the apprehensions for the Northeast Kingdom. “The community can rest a little more peacefully knowing that they have been apprehended. I want to thank the Northern Vermont Drug Task Force for the diligent and endless work they put into these cases, which often take months to investigate. I also thank our federal partners who will continue to work hard every day to hold accountable those who do harm in Orleans County.
The United States is represented in this case by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. Lasher. Attorney Robert Kaplan, Esq. will represent Jones. Attorney Gregory Mertz, Esq. will represent Douchette. Attorney Robert Sussman, Esq. will represent Provencher in this matter.
This 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 all. . On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a Violent Crime Reduction Strategy strengthening the NSP based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community organizations that help prevent violence, establishing targeted and strategic strategies implementation priorities and measurement of results. For more information on the Safe Neighborhoods Project, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn
Comments are closed.