Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Shawn Alonso, 35, of Corona, New York, was sentenced today for conspiracy to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin. District Judge Christina Reiss sentenced Alonso to a 120-month term of incarceration, followed by a 5-year term of supervised release. Previously, on May 10, 2018, District Judge Christina Reiss sentenced Tamara Moody, 38, of Richmond Hill, New York, to an 87-month term of incarceration, followed by a 4-year term of supervised release. As part of their plea agreements, Alonso and Moody agreed to the forfeiture of jewelry appraised at $241,915 which was seized from their persons, as well as $13,653.65 seized from their bank accounts.

According to Court records, Alonso and Moody were arrested on March 18, 2017, in Colchester, Vermont, while attempting to deliver 1.106 kilograms of heroin. This amount of heroin would equate to approximately 35,000 dosage units of heroin, and retail on the streets of Vermont for approximately $350,000. At the time of their arrests, Alonso was wearing jewelry with an appraised value of $208,990, and Moody was wearing jewelry with an appraised value of $32,925. The government’s investigation revealed that Alonso and Moody had traveled extensively in the year prior to their arrests, including trips to Saint Maarten, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Las Vegas, and multiple cities in Florida. A search of the couples’ Atlanta apartment revealed Moody had recently spent over $12,000 to purchase furs, Alonso had purchased season tickets to the Atlanta Hawks, and both Alonso and Moody had paid over $50,000 of payments to a contractor in Atlanta for renovations of a tattoo parlor. Banking records revealed over $100,000 of cash deposits into Alonso’s bank account, with suspicious banking activity in Vermont dating back to September of 2012. Alonso and Moody were found to have transported over three kilograms of heroin into Vermont for the purpose of its distribution to Vermonters.

Acting United States Attorney Eugenia A. P. Cowles commended the investigative efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Vermont State Police (VSP); the Colchester Police Department; Vermont Fish and Game; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives (ATF); the Winooski Police Department; the United States Border Patrol the Essex Police Department; the Williston Police Department, the Chittenden County Sheriff’s Office; and the Burlington Police Department, in the successful arrests and prosecutions of Alonso, Moody, and

others in this investigation. She added, "the United States Attorney’s Office remains committed to apprehending and prosecuting those who distribute heroin for profit. With the help of our law enforcement partners, we will continue to pursue defendants like these who endanger Vermonters and exacerbate the opiate epidemic to line their own pockets."

"DEA is committed to investigating and dismantling Drug Trafficking Organizations and individuals like Mr. Alonso and Ms. Moody, who are responsible for distributing lethal drugs like heroin to the citizens of Vermont," said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. "Let these sentences be warnings to those traffickers who are coming from out of state to distribute this poison in order to profit and destroy people’s lives. DEA’s top priority is combating the opioid epidemic by working with our local, county, state, and federal partners to bring to justice anyone who distributes deadly drugs."

Alonso was represented by Lisa Shelkrot, Esq. Moody was represented by Maryanne Kampmann, Esq. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt.

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