Michael P. Drescher Acting United States Attorney for the District of Vermont | U.S. Attorney for the District of Vermont
Burlington, Vermont – On July 7, 2025, Shawn Snead of St. Johnsbury, Vermont, was sentenced to a total of 36 months in prison by United States District Judge William K. Sessions III. The sentence follows Snead's guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and an admission that he distributed the drug in February and March 2024 alongside a co-conspirator in St. Johnsbury.
The court imposed a 24-month sentence for the fentanyl distribution charge and an additional 12 months for violating his supervised release terms. Following his imprisonment, Snead will be under supervised release for three years.
Court records reveal that Snead engaged in multiple controlled fentanyl purchases while on federal supervised release from a previous conviction for conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine base. He began this supervised release in July 2022.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher praised the investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations and the Vermont State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicole Cate and Michelle Arra prosecuted the case, while Assistant Federal Public Defender Steven Barth represented Snead.
