Three arrested in bath salts bust

A lengthy federal investigation into the sale of a powdered drug known as bath salts in the Springfield area resulted in the arrests of three men this week.
Related story: Three men charged in federal drug probe
http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20151003/NEWS02/710039939

Published October 3, 2015 in the Rutland Herald Three arrested in bath salts bust By ERIC FRANCIS CORRESPONDENT BURLINGTON — A lengthy federal investigation into the sale of a powdered drug known as bath salts in the Springfield area resulted in the arrests of three men this week. All three have been detained while they await trial on federal drug distribution conspiracy charges. Louis Turcio, 51, of Springfield, has been charged along with two New Hampshire men: Andrew Darling, 52, of North Walpole and Michael DePalma, 56, of Plainfield. They face charges of arranging for thousands of dollars worth of bath salts at a time to be shipped in from China to locations in Vermont and New Hampshire. According to the U.S. attorney’s office in Vermont, the three men ordered the narcotics online and wired significant amounts of money overseas to complete the purchases. All three face up to 20 years in prison if convicted of the conspiracy charges and Turcio could face another 10 years, as he was allegedly a felon possessing a firearm when a search warrant was executed at his Springfield home on March 9. Authorities said they seized about a kilogram of bath salts from Turcio’s home when the drugs arrived there April 14. Later that morning, Springfield Police Officer Anthony Moriglioni stopped a car belonging to DePalma near the Springfield Shopping Plaza because Darling, the driver, was talking on a cellphone while traveling along Route 11. Darling was charged with misdemeanor possession of bath salts after police said they found a tin in the car, along with three handguns, one of which turned out to be a toy. One of the other passengers in the car that morning, Amanda Graso, 31, was charged with possession of a narcotic as well after police searched her bag. She told police she didn’t know bath salts were in the bag, which she was asked to carry after Turcio heard his home was about to be raided. Previously, Turcio pleaded innocent in August to four misdemeanor counts of possession of a narcotic. Those charges came after a search warrant was executed at Turcio’s home March 10 because of what police said was a near-death overdose in an apartment above the garage. Police said they found several safes, $2,000 in cash, six handguns and a quantity of bath salts in Turcio’s home.