Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on January 7, 2025, Raul Velez, 55, of Burlington, Vermont, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mae D’Agostino to a term of 24 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Velez previously pleaded guilty to attempted possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.
According to court records, in March 2024, Velez arranged to obtain more than 1,000 grams of cocaine via the U.S. Mail. The package containing that cocaine, which was addressed to Velez at a hotel in Shelburne, Vermont, was intercepted by law enforcement. Investigators then coordinated a controlled delivery of the parcel, which did not contain any cocaine, to Velez on March 7, 2024. Following that delivery, Velez obtained the parcel from his hotel room in Shelburne. Velez intended to distribute the cocaine that he thought was inside of the package, which was roughly one kilogram in total weight.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Shelburne Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Barbara Masterson and Zachary Stendig. Velez was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Emily Kenyon.