Drug suspects deny guilt

Four Springfield residents rounded up during a March drug sweep denied the charges against them Tuesday.

http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20100428/NEWS02/4280353                   # # # #  Drug suspects deny guilt  •  Rutland Herald  •  By Josh O'Gorman STAFF WRITER - Published: April 28, 2010  •  WHITER RIVER JUNCTION — Five people rounded up during a March drug sweep denied the charges against them Tuesday. •  Four Springfield residents — Nicholas W. Brown, 29; Kevin K. Greenslit, 48; Naomi Gould, 26; and Matthew S. Morrie, 24 — all pleaded innocent Tuesday in White River Junction District Court, as did Barbra Robare, 23, of Hartford.  •  The five defendants are among the 24 people arrested March 18 as part of Operation Connecticut Valley, which was carried out by the Southern Vermont Drug Task Force in Windham and Windsor counties.  •  Brown is facing two felony counts of selling less than 2.5 grams of cocaine, which carries a combined maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and $200,000 in fines. According to affidavits filed with the court, police began their investigation into Brown after they were approached by a person who claimed to have purchased cocaine from Brown in the past and was willing to work with police in exchange for money. Affidavits state Brown sold 1.9 grams of cocaine to the informant in December and 1.3 grams in January.  •  Greenslit pleaded innocent to two felony counts of selling more than half an ounce of marijuana, and a felony count of selling narcotics, which carry a combined maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and $225,000 in fines. According to affidavits, the investigation against Greenslit began the same way as the investigation into Brown: An individual who admitted purchasing drugs from Greenslit offered to help police in exchange for money.  •  Greenslit sold 29.1 grams of pot to the informant in December and 29 grams in February, records state. He also sold the informant five OxyContin pills in February, records state.  •  Gould denied a single charge of selling cocaine, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $100,000 fine. According to affidavits, in August 2008, Gould sold 0.6 grams of crack cocaine to an informant, who again was working with police in exchange for money.  •  Morrie pleaded innocent to two felony counts of selling heroin, which carry a combined maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and $500,000 in fines. According to affidavits, in March 2008, Morrie sold 500 milligrams of heroin to an informant who was working with police in exchange for consideration for pending charges. Morrie sold 880 milligrams to the same informant in April 2008, records state.  •  Robare denied a single felony charge of selling heroin, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years and a $250,000 fine. In November 2008, affidavits state, Robare sold 332 milligrams of heroin to an informant who was working with police in exchange for consideration with pending charges.  •  All of the defendants — except Morrie — are free without posting bail on conditions they come to court and not purchase, possess or consume regulated drugs without a prescription. Morrie is already serving a two-to-five-year sentence in Springfield prison for a 2008 conviction for heroin possession, cocaine possession, simple assault and careless or negligent operation of a vehicle. Morrie also has unresolved charges of heroin possession, assault and robbery, and escape from furlough.  •