Two Mass. men answer to heroin dealing charges
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By MARK DAVIS VALLEY NEWS - Published: October 7, 2009
BURLINGTON — A federal grand jury has indicted two Massachusetts men on charges of dealing heroin in the parking lot of the VA Hospital, AJ's Restaurant and Lounge and other locations in White River Junction.
Brenton T. MacKinnon, 31, and Justin D. Morin, 21, do not appear to have any connection to the Upper Valley, except that they chose it as a convenient place to meet with buyers, who turned out to a police informant and an uncover DEA agent.
While authorities allege that the men were dealing only modest amounts of heroin, their alleged activities are at least one example of what local law enforcement officials have long warned: that the Upper Valley, at the junction of two major interstates, can be an attractive locale for out-of-state drug dealers, particularly those from Connecticut and Massachusetts.
"You've got the two interstates, the bus station, the train station, so it's pretty easy to get here," Hartford Deputy Police Chief Lenny Roberts said. "They are here for a short period of time, supply people and head back."
MacKinnon and Morin are from the central Massachusetts city of Fitchburg, about two hours from White River Junction. The men were indicted last week on charges of heroin distribution and face a five-year mandatory minimum and 40-year maximum sentence if convicted.
An affidavit filed by DEA Agent Robert Sylvia gives the following account: The investigation was kick-started in July when a confidential informant, whom authorities did not identify, approached the DEA and said he had information that MacKinnon dealt heroin.
On July 23, the informant met MacKinnon and Morin in the parking lot of the VA Hospital, and bought more than 5 grams of heroin for $1,400.
On Aug. 13, an undercover DEA agent arranged to meet MacKinnon in the parking lot of the McDonald's restaurant on Sykes Mountain Avenue. Other undercover agents watched as MacKinnon and Morin first drove a Dodge Durango into the parking lot of nearby AJ's Restaurant and Lounge. One of the men got out of the Durango, placed an object under a tree near the parking lot and got back into the Durango, which then drove to the McDonald's.
Morin exited the Durango and hopped into the undercover agent's car. Morin told the agent that the drugs were stashed in the bushes in a nearby parking lot. The agent and Morin drove to AJ's Restaurant and Lounge, Morin hopped out of the car and grabbed a cardboard fast food container from under the tree that allegedly contained heroin.
The undercover agent paid $2,700 for more than 14 grams of heroin.
On Aug. 25, an undercover agent met MacKinnon and Morin in the parking lot of the Upper Valley Fun & Games bowling alley, and bought more than 26 grams of heroin for $4,500. During that deal, Morin again hid the heroin under the tree near AJ's Restaurant and Lounge. And on Sept. 3, the undercover agent conducted one more deal in the bowling alley parking lot, buying 30 grams for $4,800.
MacKinnon and Moron were arrested by DEA agents two weeks later in White River Junction — authorities did not specify where the arrest occurred.
Vermont U.S. Attorney Tristram Coffin did not respond to a request for comment yesterday.
While the alleged drug deals transpired in busy locations, Roberts said he was not overly concerned that dealers represented a danger to the greater public. Drug dealers, he said, try to keep a low profile.
"They try to stay as much out of sight as they can," Roberts said.
Both men are scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow. MacKinnon has been ordered held in jail until the case resolves, while Morin currently is under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office. Their attorneys could not be reached for comment yesterday.
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