Rutland Man Imprisoned 5 Years For Heroin Trafficking

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that today Evan Murphy, 23, of Rutland, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to five years imprisonment on his guilty plea to a charge of conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin. Chief Judge Reiss also ordered that Murphy serve four years on supervised release after his incarceration ends.

According to court documents, from January to November 2012 Murphy trafficked between 400 and 700 grams of heroin in the Rutland area. In July 2012, Murphy began selling heroin supplied by Joshua Rose, 21, Devon Cruz, 29, and Charles Hercules, 23, all of New York. During August, September and October 2012, the Vermont Drug Task Force (VDTF) used a confidential informant to make three controlled buys of heroin from Murphy in Rutland. In November 2012, Murphy was incarcerated for an unrelated state offense, ending his heroin sales.

On July 24, 2013, based on a joint investigation by the VDTF, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the grand jury returned an indictment charging Murphy, Rose, Cruz, Hercules, Alan H. Willis, II, 42, of Tinmouth, and Jean Marie Phillips, 47, of Rutland, with conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin. All of the defendants have entered guilty pleas to the conspiracy charge, except Phillips, who pled guilty to aiding and abetting Rose=s possession with intent to distribute heroin. On April 28, 2014, Willis was sentenced to 37 months imprisonment. On May 9, 2014, Phillips was sentenced to 13 months imprisonment. Rose, Cruz, and Hercules are scheduled for sentencing over the next two months.

United States Attorney Tristram J. Coffin commended the joint investigation by the VDTF, DEA and FBI, and thanked the Vermont Attorney General's Office for its cooperation. Burlington attorney Doug Kallen represented Murphy. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig S. Nolan.