Rutland Man Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison for Distribution of Heroin

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated today that Mark Kriskov (a.k.a. “Johnny Est”), 55, of Rutland, Vermont, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William K. Sessions, III, to a total of 51 months of imprisonment for distribution of heroin in the Rutland area. Judge Sessions gave Kriskov 13-months’ credit for time already spent in state custody on related state charges, thus Judge Sessions sentenced Kriskov to an additional 38-months of imprisonment to begin on September 19, 2017. Kriskov previously pled guilty to distribution of heroin. Judge Sessions also sentenced Kriskov to three years of supervised release by the United States Probation Office, which begins after Kriskov serves his term of imprisonment.

According to Court records, from late 2015 through July 2016, Kriskov sold over 50 grams of heroin, primarily out of his Maple Street, Rutland apartment, to Rutland area heroin addicts. In addition, according to the government’s allegations, Kriskov sold a stolen handgun to one of his drug customers. Kriskov is still facing multiple charges brought by the Rutland County State’s Attorney’s Office, including identity theft, possession of stolen property, unlawful possession of a firearm after a violent crime conviction, and DUI #4. Judge Sessions ordered that his federal sentence be concurrent to whatever sentence he receives, if convicted of any of these state charges.

While the government acknowledged that the defendant’s drug dealing was driven by his addiction, the government argued that the sentence imposed by Judge Sessions was warranted, given Kriskov’s egregious criminal history, which included a burglary conviction and multiple aggravated assault and DUI convictions. The government also argued that the defendant’s heroin dealing had a significant impact on the community and the defendant was likely to recidivate unless he was given a lengthy jail sentence.

This case was investigated by the Vermont State Police Drug Task Force, the Rutland City Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Perella is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States. Kriskov is represented by Devin McLaughlin, Esq., of Middlebury, Vermont and Stephanie Greenlees, Esq., of Burlington, Vermont.