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Bronx Murderer Pleads Guilty

U.S. Attorney's Office January 09, 2009
  • District of Vermont (802) 951-6725

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Roger K. Aletras, Jr., age 37, of the Bronx, pleaded guilty today before United States District Court Chief Judge William K. Sessions, III, to conspiring to commit interstate armed robbery, and murder while using a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.

Aletras admitted in court today that on December 16, 2002, he and his New Jersey accomplice, Kevin Arkenau, came to Vermont and robbed two marijuana dealers from upstate New York at gunpoint in South Burlington. Returning south to New York with a duffle bag of stolen high-grade marijuana, the two thieves stopped at a hotel in Saratoga Springs, New York. In a motel room several hours later, Aletras killed Arkenau by shooting him twice in the head. Aletras then returned to the Bronx with the stolen drugs.

A search of Aletras's Bronx apartment several weeks later led to the seizure of a handgun. In 2004 Aletras pleaded guilty in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York to possessing that gun as a felon. In 2006 that court imposed a sentence of 17-years imprisonment. In federal court today in Vermont, Aletras agreed to another federal sentence of 15 years, to be served consecutively to the 17 year sentence, such that his aggregate federal term of imprisonment for the related offenses is 32 years. There is no parole in the federal system.

Chief Judge Sessions ordered a presentence report and scheduled sentencing for April 6, 2009. Aletras was represented by lawyers Kerry DeWolf and Jean Barrett. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney William Darrow.

The United States Attorney lauded the work of investigators from the Saratoga Springs, New York, Police Department; the New York State Police; the South Burlington Police Department; the DEA; and the FBI.

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