United States of America v. Raul Velez

Burlington, Vermont criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with Attempted Drug Trafficking

Burlington, Vermont Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Attempted Drug Trafficking Case

Raul Velez, 55, of Burlington, Vermont, pleaded guilty to attempted possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.



In March 2024, Velez arranged to obtain more than 1,000 grams of cocaine via the U.S. Mail. The package containing that cocaine, which was addressed to Velez at a hotel in Shelburne, Vermont, was intercepted by law enforcement. Investigators then coordinated a controlled delivery of the parcel, which did not contain any cocaine, to Velez on March 7, 2024. Following that delivery, Velez obtained the parcel from his hotel room in Shelburne. Velez intended to distribute the cocaine that he thought was inside of the package, which was roughly one kilogram in total weight.



United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Shelburne Police Department.



The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Barbara Masterson and Zachary Stendig. Velez was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Emily Kenyon.