On the evening of February 8, 2016, members of the Burlington Police Department executed a State of Vermont search warrant at 160 Plattsburg Ave. in the City of Burlington. The warrant was obtained following a two month long investigation that began after reports were received of suspicious activity indicative of drug distribution occurring at the residence. During the course of the warrant, officers seized 550 bags of heroin. The resident and target of the investigation, La-Shon McGee, was arrested and subsequently charged with Heroin Trafficking. The approximate weight of the heroin seized is estimated to be 17 grams with a street value of $11,000.
On February 9, 2016, McGee was arraigned at the Chittenden Superior Court Criminal Division and released on conditions to the custody of a responsible adult and with a curfew. McGee has prior convictions for Domestic Assault, Simple Assault, and Petit Larceny in Vermont and Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance, Criminal Possession of a Credit Card, and Acting in a Manner to Injure a Child less than 17 in New York.
The Heroin Trafficking statute, Title 18 V.S.A. 4233(b)(c), is specific to possessing heroin in an amount consisting of 3.5 grams or more. The statute specifically states that there shall be a permissive inference that a person who possesses 3.5 grams or more of heroin intends to sell or dispense heroin. The penalty for this offense is up to 30 years imprisonment and a $1,000,000.00 fine, or both.
