http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20121013/NEWS02/710139922
Published October 13, 2012 in the Rutland Herald
Downtown arrest on gun charges
By SUSAN SMALLHEER
Staff Writer
SPRINGFIELD — A Springfield man who is a witness to an attempted murder in downtown Springfield this summer that galvanized the town to address drug and gang activity was arrested by federal agents Friday morning on gun charges.
Dennis B. Allen pleaded innocent in U.S. District Court in Burlington on Friday afternoon, charged with the unlawful transportation of a firearm and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He will be back in court on Monday for a bail hearing, said Assistant U.S. Attorney William Darrow.
Allen, 28, is a witness to the alleged attempted murder of Nicholas Brown by Terrick Craft, who is in jail on charges of attempted murder. Brown, who is on parole, was not hurt in the July 9 incident. Brown claimed Craft shot at him because he was upset he wouldn’t join his “fight club.”
Brown had fled to Allen’s apartment on Park Street above the Tangles hair salon after Craft allegedly pulled out a gun and started shooting.
According to court records in White River Junction, Allen is a member of the Satan’s Disciples street gang and was arraigned in late July — weeks after the earlier shooting — for aggravated assault.
Allen is charged with punching John Johnston of Springfield and breaking his jaw, according to state and federal records, after Johnston rejected Allen’s overture to Johnston to join Satan’s Disciples.
According to statements in court, Craft was a member of The Bloods gang, and after his arrest for the July 9 shooting, gang rivalries intensified.
After Allen’s arrest for assault, police found a loaded firearm in his apartment, along with several rounds of ammunition. The gun was a Ceska Zbrojovka 7.62 mm semi-automatic pistol, according to the federal indictment.
The indictment, which was handed down on Sept. 27 by a federal grand jury, said the gun had been shipped and transported via interstate or foreign commerce.
Federal prosecutors sought to have Allen held, saying he had few connections to Vermont, and had traveled between Florida and Springfield in recent months.
When Allen was arrested, he had seven baggies of marijuana in his pocket, with each baggie having a distinctive skull design, federal records stated. In his Park Street apartment, officers found “hundreds of similar, but empty, skull baggies.”
Police found an iMac computer that had been reported stolen from Riverside Middle School in May.
Police also encountered two pit bull dogs in Allen’s apartment during the search, and one was so aggressive it had to be sedated, court records stated.
Allen has a felony drug conviction in Florida, dating from 2005, for felony possession of marijuana. He came to Vermont in 2011. In July 2012, court records stated, Allen went back to Florida but returned to Vermont.
“Allen has weak contacts with Vermont, and stronger contacts in Florida, where he lived for years,” wrote Darrow, in arguing that he be held. Allen had violated terms of his Florida parole, and had been sent back to prison for a year in 2008.
Court affidavits stated that Johnston, who is not related to Springfield Police Chief Douglas Johnston, rejected Allen’s offer of a black bandana, prompting Allen to punch him in the face. When Johnston told Allen the only use he had for a bandana was to blow his nose, Allen punched him again in the face.
Federal agents turned out in force early Friday morning, with federal cars lining Park Street in downtown Springfield, several people said.
ATF agents were later seen at several other locations in downtown Springfield.
According to records in federal court, Allen was indicted by a federal grand jury, and the indictment was sealed immediately, pending his arrest.
Darrow said Allen was arrested Friday morning in Springfield, but didn’t know the exact location.
Prosecutors will seek to have Allen held without bail, he said.
Springfield Police Chief Douglas Johnston only confirmed that federal agents had an arrest warrant for Allen.
job well done
ReplyDeleteIndeed. This is what we've been waiting for. Nice work SPD and ATF.
ReplyDeleteYup good job just to bad our SPD couldn't do it the FEDS an ATF had to arrest a criminal in our town
ReplyDeleteHe was arrested on federal charges because the state of Vermont does not have a law against felons possessing firearms, thus the locals could not do anything to him.
DeleteAlso, since he was arrested on Federal Charges hopefully the charges won't wind up getting dropped by the prosecutor and there won't be anymore of the house arrest nonsense.
DeleteI would be willing to bet that they released him to catch him on something bigger, like this.....
DeleteAsk yourself, why does this element insist on engaging in behavior that only reinforces negative, racial stereotypes?
ReplyDeleteThose are economic issues which we cannot necessarily solve locally, but we are importing the more violent types -- the real question is why is this element selecting this part of Vermont to land in. If we can get investigate that question and get a real grip on the real answer to that, then at least we can take steps to cut of the inbound flow of troublemakers, then we can turn to solving the problem of our homegrown n'ere do wells.
DeleteI think most areas of the country have issues with baddies. They come to this 'area' because we've been naive. Beautiful Vermont. Rolling Hills. Blah blah. Many of us have lived in other countries/large cities, and know the pitfalls and the consequences of not being alert to danger.
DeleteWhen we went on vacation in the 1950's we had to look for the house key. Now I don't weed the garden without locking the door. What's gone wrong? All I know is if I stole a candy bar as a kid, the police would be my last problem.
well the first reason they end up here is the interstate. people go south to buy drugs and bring them back. not pot but hard drugs. the kind that addict. the people see they can make more by bringing it themselves. the second is the finest criminals in the state are released here. their families move into all the wonderful section 8 housing. you all were warned what would happen. so you took the states bait. wait that didnt work out that well either for the regular people. now the hospital owns our bribe. wow only in springfield.
Delete@ 6:51
Deletetoo true.
too true.
Springfield Hospital was started the same year as the Federal Reserve. 1913.
Deletemaybe this has all been the plan
reply to anony @ 6:51AM Ah yes, The Prison. It's going to be the downfall. Well, we did get paving on Summer/Skitchewaug (after the selectboard was embarrassed and rightfully so...) I digress. Just remember: the parole gentleman at the s'board meeting says all the nice felons go home. No stopping in S'field. Oh please. Yeah, and wait until you're in the E. R. and have a handcuffer + guard in the next room.
DeleteAre you sure they were living in Sec. 8 housing?
DeleteI hope this trend continues, and our town becomes a safer place to raise children. There are amazingly intelligent and thoughtful students at the high school -- a majority of our children are excellent human beings.
ReplyDeleteIt looks to me like Springfield is turning a corner, both of the most notorious of the violent would be gang leaders are incarcerated, the three houses which were the most strongly reputed drug dens have hit their tenants with eviction proceedings. Congratulations to the group of young activists who led the fight and the crowd of citizens before the Selectboard and demanded action and provided the Selectboard, Police Chief, and Town Manager with proposals on what was needed. Let's just hope the Town can keep the pressure on and the momentum going.
DeleteLet's hope so Alpin Jack. This is a town of good,caring people.
DeleteA majority of your children are all out doin the same stuff eather doing or selling the drugs its the same game to every kid there just trying to get that paper g
DeleteSomehow I doubt that.
DeleteThank you, thank you, thank you!!!! Good job by the Feds.
ReplyDeleteYo thats not kool thats my boy
DeleteNo locals? where can I comment on the inside scoop?
ReplyDeleteATF, FEDS ..... we can't read it all on our favorite Facebook page. where's the dirt ?
Dirt? You mean the discussion about him escaping the first time they went to arrest him, and then being an idiot went back to his apartment? And the police, Marshalls, and ATF being all over the downtown area that morning? You mean that dirt?
Deleteyes axlerod yes
Deletemore dirt please
DeleteThe guy WITNESSED an attempted murder right next to him. I would have a GUN TOO !!!
ReplyDeleteI'd have a gun too. Oh, wait.. I have several.
DeleteThe whole world is a stage, and this is fiction. Sometimes some of us learn slower than others. I remember this kid trying to speak out about how he wound up in his situation.
and then everybody set him up. again.
Where is this info that he escaped from his residence?
ReplyDeleteWho said that, can't be true...just fiction...those police were just there patrolling downtown not trying to figure out people running on the roofs...
DeleteI was listening on scanner...the only mention was kids near Valley street going in and out of a second story window...no mention of the subject escaping.
ReplyDeleteThere will always be gang members n drug dealers on these streets all these ppl ae gonna have to get used to it why the you think they came to this state because its next in the country to become a ghetto and become a problem city every body would be better off joining a side wheather you agree with living on the bottom doller or do something about it n make yo self some fedi
ReplyDeleteyou are very wise
Delete