The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Dean Gero, 54, formerly of Brattleboro, Vermont, was sentenced yesterday in United States District Court in Rutland, Vermont in connection with his drug trafficking activity. Chief United States District Judge Geoffrey Crawford sentenced Gero to a time-served term of incarceration and three years of supervised release.
According to court records and proceedings, in April 2019, Gero sold fentanyl-laced heroin in his apartment at 50 Central Street in Brattleboro. Gero also hosted drug traffickers at the residence in early 2020, providing them a place to cook, store, and sell their narcotics. In March 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the 50 Central Street residence and found approximately 38 grams of cocaine base as well as a handgun and a magazine containing live ammunition.
Gero was initially arrested on Aug. 20, 2020. On Aug. 28, 2020, Gero was released on conditions including a requirement he attend residential treatment for substance misuse, with additional outpatient counseling as recommended by the United States Probation Office to follow. On Jan. 22, 2021, Gero pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl, and remained on release conditions until his sentencing.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Vermont State Police Southern Vermont Drug Task Force, and the Brattleboro Police Department in this matter. “People who assist drug traffickers by permitting them to distribute dangerous narcotics out of their homes play an important role in supporting the for-profit drug trade. The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to target for prosecution armed drug trafficking organizations and the people who assist them, while recognizing that successful treatment remains the best tool for reducing both demand for illicit substances and the number of Vermonters willing to support the drug trade."
Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Cate handled the prosecution. Gero was represented by Paul Volk, Esq.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
