United States of America v. Terry Russ

Burlington, Vermont, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with possession of a michine gun during the commission of a drug trafficking crime.

Reported by Kent Morlan

Terry Russ was connected with a firearm used in an incident in Springfield, Massachusetts, in which police officers were shot and one was seriously injured. Russ later sold an untraceable privately-manufactured firearm with 53 rounds of ammunition, 200 bags of fentanyl, and 15.5 grams of cocaine to a confidential informant. A subsequent search of Russ’s property resulted in the seizure of 12 additional firearms, 12.5 grams of fentanyl, and 69.5 grams of cocaine.

At sentencing, the government noted the scale of Russ’s drug dealing, highlighting witness statements indicating that Russ had served as many as ten clients per day, keeping multiple firearms in close proximity to where he conducted drug transactions. The government’s sentencing memo also highlighted Russ’s significant criminal history and his prior convictions for violent offenses, including four convictions for assault and two convictions for violating abuse prevention orders, as well as prior convictions for burglary and drug offenses.

First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Vermont State Police; and the Brattleboro Police Department.

Imprisonment for a term of 12 months, concurrent to count 5s, and consecutive to any state sentence, followed by 3 years of Supervised Release with special conditions; fine waived; Special Assessment of $100 imposed.