Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on January 16, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Christopher Stephens, 38, of Hartford, Connecticut with distribution of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Stephens entered a plea of not guilty to the charges during an arraignment on January 16, 2025 before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle. On January 17, 2025, Judge Doyle ordered that Stephens be detained during the pendency of this matter.
According to court records, on three occasions between June 11, 2024 and July 23, 2024, Stephens sold fentanyl to an individual who was working on behalf of law enforcement. Those drug sales occurred in Burlington, Vermont. On June 23, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a hotel where Stephens was staying in Shelburne, Vermont. Inside of that hotel, law enforcement found fentanyl packaged for street level distribution. Stephens was arrested on January 16, 2025, inside of a residence in Burlington, Vermont. From the room where law enforcement found Stephens, law enforcement also recovered a Walther .380 caliber firearm with a loaded magazine.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Stephens is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Stephens faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment on each count if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Burlington Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Vermont State Police.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Stendig. Stephens is represented by Barclay Johnson, Esq.
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 everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: 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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.