Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

BURLINGTON, Vt. — The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on March 7, Quenton Dodson, 36, originally from Ypsilanti, Michigan, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Geoffrey Crawford to a term of 96 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a four-year term of supervised release. Dodson previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, as well as being a felon in possession of firearms.

According to court records, after serving almost eight years in a Michigan prison and another year on parole in connection with previously shooting three individuals in a dispute over drugs, Dodson came to Vermont in 2021 to sell methamphetamine and fentanyl. In late 2021 and early 2022, the Burlington Police Department conducted a series of controlled purchases of drugs from Dodson and, in January 2022, obtained warrants to search not only Dodson’s Farrell Street apartment, but also the Ledgewood Circle apartment of a woman suspected of working with Dodson. In Dodson’s Farrell Street apartment police found more than $10,000 in cash (including some of the bills used in one of the controlled buys), about 20 grams of fentanyl, about 65 grams of methamphetamine, about 20 grams of cocaine, and a loaded handgun. In the Ledgewood Circle apartment, police found almost three pounds of methamphetamine (some of which was contained in a plastic bag bearing Dodson’s fingerprint), as well as another loaded handgun.

U.S. Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest observed: “This case demonstrates that Vermont should not be perceived as a friendly destination for those preying on the addictions of others. We are grateful that the Burlington Police Department, in collaboration with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, as well as the Drug Enforcement Administration, were able to intervene in Dodson’s criminal activity before either of the loaded firearms he possessed in connection with his drug dealing were fired.”

Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad added: “The Burlington Police Department believes in using a multi-faceted approach to address the scourge of drugs in our community, from treatment and succor for those with substance-use disorder to prosecution and prison for those who peddle poison. I’m proud of our detective team’s work and I’m immensely grateful for our federal partners. This case shows our collective resolve to ensure accountability for traffickers who prey on the suffering of others and harm our community in the process.” 

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael P. Drescher. Dodson was represented by Mark Kaplan, Esq.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.