Nikolas Kerest U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of Vermont
Burlington, Vermont – On March 31, 2025, Nathaniel "JJ" Jones, aged 39, from Springfield, Massachusetts, was sentenced by United States District Judge William K. Sessions III to 135 months in prison followed by a three-year supervised release term. Jones had pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl and cocaine.
Previously sentenced in this case were three codefendants. Jermaine "Bear" Douchette, aged 44, also of Springfield, Massachusetts, received a 135-month imprisonment term on December 16, 2024. Michelle Provencher, aged 26, from Irasburg, Vermont, was sentenced to 37 months in prison on February 10, 2025. Daniel Peters, aged 29, from Newport, Vermont, received a 45-month prison sentence on February 24, 2025. Three additional codefendants, Tyler Norris, Erica Desormeaux, and Jeremy Young, are waiting for their sentences.
Court records reveal that in 2022, "JJ" Jones and co-defendant "Bear" Douchette stayed at various short-term rental units and residences in Orleans County while distributing drugs. Between August and October 2022, they used the home of Desormeaux and Young in Barton, Vermont, to prepare, store, and distribute drugs to customers. Provencher helped them find customers and hosts. Many conspirators carried firearms, trading some with customers for drugs. Some group members, including Jones and Douchette, made threats and committed violence to further their conspiracy.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher praised the Northern Vermont Drug Task Force (NVDTF) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) for their investigatory collaboration. He noted the assistance from the Vermont State Police, the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, the Newport Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations, and Homeland Security Investigations.
“This case underscores the relentless commitment of ATF and our law enforcement partners to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations that threaten the safety of our communities through the distribution of deadly narcotics and illegal firearms,” stated James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Boston Field Division. “The sentences handed down as a result of this investigation send a clear message: we will not tolerate violent criminal activity in the Northeast Kingdom or anywhere else in Vermont.”
Sheriff Jennifer L. Harlow of the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department added, "Our commitment to community safety remains unwavering. We will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to dismantle drug trafficking organizations that distribute deadly narcotics and illegal firearms. We thank our federal partners for their dedication to ensuring these individuals are held responsible."
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Lasher prosecuted the case. Mark Kaplan, Esq. represented Jones; Gregory Mertz, Esq. represented Douchette; Robert Sussman, Esq. represented Provencher; and Heather Ross, Esq. represented Peters. Tyler Norris is represented by Chandler Matson, Esq.; Erica Desormeaux by Natasha Sen, Esq.; and Jeremy Young by Allan Sullivan, Esq.
