Familiar Threats from the Politicians, But Are the Criminals Listening
Following drug related violence in Rutland, much of it associated with out of state drug dealers, the knee-jerk reaction by Governor Douglas and Sen. Kevin Mullin was a call to increase criminal penalties, but no one is apparently looking at what’s happening with the penalties already on the books. A case in point is the interstate drug operation of Gregory LaRose of Brattleboro which was prosecuted in Vermont federal court. With a drug quantity of 500 grams to 2 kilograms Mr. LaRose was looking at a five-year minimum jail sentence, but instead received four days. The alleged ringleader, Alex Barrows, got 18 months. Other co-conspirators and their sentences: John Houle, 18 months; John Parker, 4 months; Jason Houle, 3 months; Robert Phelps, probation. All apparently “cooperated” in some undisclosed capacity with the government. So what’s the real message here?
Comments
Comment from …
Date: April 11, 2009, 12:19 am
Who is the misinformed idiot who wrote this article? ” All apparently “cooperated” in some undisclosed capacity with the government.”??? You obviously don’t have your facts straight. Maybe that’s why you write for this low budget website and not for a REAL news paper. ” So what’s the real message here?”- Your a JOKER
Comment from Kim McCormick
Date: December 10, 2008, 3:43 pm
This whole situation is so unreal to me. I am John Houle’s girl friend and what the government got away with is unreal. We should take a look at the real cases going on in Vemont not something that ALLEGEDLY happened 8 years ago. The only reason Greg got 4 days is because he told on everyone else. The issue with that was a lot of his information was false being that he couldn’t stant the other 5 guys and he got a DWI so he cooperated and told the FBI everything they wanted to hear to get out of both charges. The word of Larose never should of held up in court. If you look at all the documents for this case , never once was Johnny or Jason ever convicted of drug charges. The goverment was just mad they sent so much $ on nothing so they had to get something out of it. Now all of these guys have kids and families and cannot move on with their lives. If it was such a big deal in 2000 they should have delt with it then not NOW!