www.eagletimes.com
Springfield man pleads guilty to heroin trafficking | November 21, 2017 By CAMERON PAQUETTE cameronp@eagletimes.com WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — A Springfield man arrested earlier this year in Weathersfield has pleaded guilty to trafficking heroin, and is facing a suspended sentence of at least three years in prison. On Monday, 57-year-old David LaPlante entered a plea of guilty to a charge of heroin trafficking in Windsor County Criminal Court as part of a plea agreement that would see him serve 3 to 7 years in prison, all but 180 days of which are suspended for four years. In that time, LaPlante would be on probation and restricted to home confinement, according to court documents. LaPlante was arrested on April 25 in Weathersfield after heroin was found in his vehicle during a traffic stop. He was charged at the time with possession of heroin, possession of heroin with intent to sell, and trafficking heroin. According to an affidavit, Weathersfield Police Chief William Daniels was driving south on Weathersfield Center Road when he passed by LaPlante traveling in the other direction in a truck no inspection sticker. Daniels turned around and pulled over LaPlante. When talking with LaPlante, Daniels noticed a large amount of cash in LaPlante’s breast pocket, along with a small stack of “waxy paper with a red rubber band around it” in the center tray of the driver compartment, according to the affidavit. Closer inspection revealed that the package had been stamped with the word “Pirate” in black ink, along with a picture of a pirate. “I know that drug dealers will stamp markers on their product when they sell it to indicate their product for future purchases,” Daniels said in the affidavit. After Daniels informed LaPlante that he intended to search the vehicle, LaPlante turned over a black bag with what was suspected to be heroin packaged for distribution. In all, about 250 bags of heroin totaling 6.35 grams was seized, along with a little over $1,800 in cash. As part of the sentence, LaPlante would also pay a total of $1,808 in fines.
Suspended sentence? Way to go..
ReplyDeleteNot all druggies are section 8 derelicts. Sometimes they're coaches, business owners, and parents. It's so easy to profile and stereotype the people we see posted up on Union Street stoops, but in reality the people of Springfield are trapped in a bubble of fear, insecurity, and depression. I hope everyone that sees this article should check themselves and reevaluate their assumptions and what they thought they knew about the drug problem in Springfield. Everyone is human, everyone has problems, and some resort to destructive things to take the edge off life. The drug problem is a symptom of a Springfield sickness, and treating the symptom won't eradicate the issue at hand.
ReplyDeleteSo what if they're not on welfare! Dope dealers are SCUM and should get the death penalty! Springfield is a bubble of fear, insecurity and depression? No worse than a lot of places these days, and most people get through life WITHOUT using or selling drugs!
DeleteHow long has he been dealing? I bet years. I bet most of his customers were out of town. I bet the local PD knew. He didn’t use and it is obvious. He has lived in the same house for years and did not draw any attention to himself. Most in part because the neighborhood around him had and still has many users and dealers. I fully believe that there is more to this story. Now what? He sits in is home? Great. Puts other neighbors that are law abiding citizens at risk because he obviously flipped on a few people. I feel horrible for our EMTs that see people OD as a result from this drug and this guy sits at home, a more appropriate place would be in prison, better yet have him witness numerous people of all walks of life pass from this drug, perhaps the age of his children.
ReplyDelete