Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

CONCORD, N.H. – Robert Orth, 30, of South Ryegate, Vermont, was sentenced in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire on federal charges of possessing with intent to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin, possessing a firearm in furtherance of his heroin trafficking, and possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. The Court imposed a term of ten years’ imprisonment.

On May 29, 2014, at approximately 9:45 P.M., a Nashua police officer witnessed a Gold Nissan Maxima, bearing New Hampshire plates, drive through a stop sign, travel over a double yellow line, and come to an abrupt halt in the middle of the road with its left turn-signal on. The officer initiated a vehicle stop, and upon making contact, noted that there were three male occupants in the vehicle. Occupying the front passenger seat was Robert Orth. During the traffic stop Orth became argumentative and yelled to one of the other occupants to, "…take the [stuff and]… run and hide it." That occupant grabbed a jacket that was inside the vehicle and ran from the scene. During a foot pursuit, the occupant dropped the jacket and was subsequently captured by the police. A search of the jacket revealed more than 200 grams of heroin and a loaded handgun. During a subsequent interview, Orth admitted that both the heroin and the handgun belonged to him.

The Nashua, New Hampshire Police Department was the lead investigative agency and received assistance from by agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in New Hampshire. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nick Abramson and Seth Aframe.

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