U.S. Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest | U.S. Department of Justice
Stephanie Horvath, a 39-year-old resident of Rutland, Vermont, has been sentenced to 29 months in prison for distributing cocaine base. The sentence was handed down by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss on November 21, 2024. Following her prison term, Horvath will also serve a three-year period of supervised release.
Horvath had previously pleaded guilty to distributing cocaine base to a law enforcement confidential informant in June 2023 in Rutland. Court records reveal that since 2017-18 until her arrest in August 2023, Horvath facilitated drug sales for various armed and dangerous suppliers. Her involvement included the distribution of cocaine base and heroin/fentanyl at the Highlander Motel in Rutland during 2022 and 2023. She distributed drugs herself and had others distribute from her hotel room.
The investigation that led to Horvath's arrest involved five controlled purchases conducted by the Vermont State Police’s Drug Task Force between December 2022 and June 2023 from her room. Records further indicate that in November 2022, Horvath acquired a large supply of cocaine and heroin/fentanyl linked to the violent assault of an associate.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest praised the collaborative efforts of the Vermont State Police’s Drug Task Force, the Rutland City Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Turner and Jonathan A. Ophardt, while Natasha Sen represented Horvath.
