Pubdate: Sat, 28 Jun 2003
Source: Brattleboro Reformer (VT)
Copyright: 2003 Brattleboro Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.reformer.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/59
Author: Patrick Armstrong

OFFICIALS DIFFER ON CRACK'S PREVALENCE

BRATTLEBORO -- The arraignment this week of 10 people on charges related to 
the sale of crack cocaine has given rise to questions on the prevalence of 
the drug.

Officials agree that crack is a problem in the area, but differ on whether 
crack is as widespread as other drugs.

"I'd almost say it's mixed 30-30-30 between heroin, cocaine, and 
marijuana," said Deputy Windham County State's Attorney Nathaniel Seely, of 
the drug cases he's prosecuted since joining the State's Attorney's Office 
in October.

"We get a lot of marijuana cases with small amounts," he added, defining 
"small" as the amount used for personal use.

"I would say (crack is) here and it's definitely something we're aware of, 
but I think heroin is much more prevalent," said Vermont State Police Lt. 
William Pettengill. "The drug du jour really seems to be heroin. That's 
what we're seeing -- it's an explosive drug, and the cost is incredibly 
cheap, until you get hooked on it. "

The Southern Vermont Drug Task Force, working with the Brattleboro Police 
and the Windham County Sheriff's Departments, arrested 11 people in 
Brattleboro on June 16, following an investigation into the sale of crack 
in the area. On Tuesday, 10 suspects were arraigned on felony charges of 
the sale of cocaine.

"We definitely have seen an increase in activity, which prompted that 
investigation," said Vermont State Police Lt. Tom L'Esperance, the head of 
the Vermont Drug Task Force. "It seems we've been finding more crack than 
heroin lately."

"It's been around for a while, but it's been cropping up a lot in 
Brattleboro the past five years," said Brattleboro Police Detective Michael 
Gorman. "It's becoming the drug of choice for those who want a cheaper 
alternative."

Gorman said he didn't know which drugs were more prevalent, but said that 
deals more with crack problems.

The Attorney General's Office prosecutes crimes investigated by the Drug 
Task Force through federally funded positions, said Assistant Attorney 
General Cindy Maguire. "A year, two years ago, we saw an increase in crack 
in Rutland," she said, adding that it was similar to what was happening in 
Brattleboro.

The reason there are so many drug dealers in town, said Gorman, is that 
people scrape together enough money to go to communities in Massachusetts 
like Holyoke or Springfield, buy some drugs for personal use and come back 
and sell the rest at a higher price.

"That's why Brattleboro's inundated with all these low-level drug dealers," 
he added. "We don't have one or two kingpins, we have a lot of street 
urchins who see it as an easy way to make money."

A person could purchase a bundle of heroin, or 10 bags of the drug, for 
$60, Gorman said. They could then turn around and sell the individual bags 
for $30 each, and, even keeping five bags for themselves, would still end 
up with $150.

Gorman said there are a lot of under-aged people experimenting with crack 
in the area. "We're finding more and more people using it at 15 or 16 than 
two to three years ago."

Pettengill speculated that the people who are buying heroin are traveling, 
and thus more likely to encounter state police in places like I-91. "Crack 
is more of a local problem," he added. "It's usually dealt locally and 
consumed locally."

One of the differences between those who use crack and those who use heroin 
is that heroin users tend to "just stay in the apartment and mellow out," 
said Gorman, while those who use crack go back out onto the street.

Heroin has a long-term effect, lasting a few hours, and makes users more 
lethargic, Gorman said, while crack tends to "animate them a little bit."

L'Esperance said there are pockets throughout the state where crack is a 
problem, and it's "definitely a problem in Brattleboro."

With events like the June 16 arrests, there is an effect, said L'Esperance, 
but it's always short-lived. "The demand is out there still," he added.

In Brattleboro, one of the ways police hope to make a bigger dent in crack 
use is to go after the owners of the apartment buildings where dealers reside.

"Some of the landlords who rent to these people add to the quality-of-life 
problems," said Gorman. "They know they're drug dealers, but they let them 
live there because they pay the rent.

If a property owner knows about illegal drug activity and doesn't do 
something to correct the problem, the property could be seized under 
federal law, Gorman indicated. He said police are currently hoping to work 
with federal authorities, particularly on two properties in town.

"We're putting landlords on notice that, if you have drug dealers, we're 
going to federally seize their property," said Gorman. "We're hoping it 
will send a message to others to help stop this drug infestation."
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