The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that, on January 9, 2017, Christopher Calderon-Melendez, 31, of Essex Junction, Vermont, was sentenced to a prison sentence of time served. Calderon-Melendez had served approximately 7 months in jail awaiting disposition of his case. U.S. District Court Judge William K. Sessions III also ordered that Calderon-Melendez serve three years of supervised release after his prison term.
According to court records, between October and December of 2015, law enforcement conducted four controlled purchases of heroin from Calderon-Melendez at various locations in Chittenden County. Calderon-Melendez pled guilty to an indictment charging him for distributing heroin.
For his crime, Calderon-Melendez faced a statutory maximum term of 20 years in prison. The United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are advisory, recommended Calderon-Melendez receive a prison term of between 6 and 12 months. In determining that a 7-month term was appropriate, Judge Sessions considered the severity of the offense, the harm heroin is causing to the community in Vermont, Calderon-Melendez’s relatively minor criminal record, and his history of opioid abuse.
United States Attorney Eric Miller commended the efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Burlington Police Department, the Essex Police Department, and the other law enforcement agencies that participated in this investigation. United States Attorney Miller noted that this case is part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Vermont Heroin Initiative, which is a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to combat heroin distribution in Vermont. According to United States Attorney Miller, the United States Attorney’s Office and its law enforcement partners will continue to disrupt the flow of heroin into Vermont and hold drug dealers accountable for their serious crimes against the community.
The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Doherty, Jr. Calderon-Melendez is represented by Richard Bothfeld.