Michael P. Drescher Acting United States Attorney for the District of Vermont | U.S. Attorney for the District of Vermont
A federal grand jury has indicted Marshall Gagne, 35, of Weathersfield, Vermont, on charges that include possession of firearms as a convicted felon, possession of fentanyl and cocaine with intent to distribute, and possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. The indictment was returned on January 21, 2026. Gagne’s arraignment is set for February 23, 2026 before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle.
Court records state that Gagne was arrested on May 19, 2025 in a Claremont, New Hampshire hotel room along with six other individuals. Law enforcement officers forced entry into the room and found evidence indicating firearms and illicit drugs had recently been flushed down the drain. At the time of his arrest, Gagne was carrying more than $11,000 and a backpack with fentanyl and cocaine residue.
The following day, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a residence in Weathersfield associated with Gagne. Authorities discovered additional suspected drug proceeds amounting to thousands of dollars and twelve firearms—including privately made “ghost” guns and a silencer—in a camping trailer on the property. Investigators also found the box for the handgun recovered from the hotel room where Gagne had been arrested. Due to prior felony convictions, Gagne was prohibited from possessing firearms.
The United States Attorney’s Office stated: "An indictment contains allegations only and that Marshall Gagne is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty." If convicted on all counts, Gagne could face up to 15 years for firearm possession as a felon, up to 20 years for drug distribution charges, and an additional consecutive sentence of at least five years for possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking offenses. Sentencing would be determined by the District Court using advisory guidelines.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt recognized several agencies involved in the investigation: "the investigatory efforts of the Vermont State Police, the Vermont Drug Task Force, the FBI, the Claremont New Hampshire Police Department, the Hartford Vermont Police Department, and the Brattleboro Police Department."
Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill is prosecuting this case. No attorney has yet appeared or been appointed for Gagne.
The case falls under Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative led by the Department of Justice aimed at combating illegal immigration and dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime.
