Rutland
posted
Sep 6, 2012
On August 29, the Vermont Drug Task Force along with the Bureau
of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms (ATF), the United States
Marshals Service (USMS) and the Rutland City Police Department
(RPD) continued an investigation into the distribution of crack
cocaine in the Rutland City area.
As part of the investigation law enforcement officers conducted
a motor vehicle stop on Route 103 in Clarendon. Five male
subjects in the vehicle were taken into custody and identified as
Collins, Hurst, McGriff, and Babcock. The operator of the
vehicle was Louras. During the motor vehicle stop Collins was
found to be in possession of a loaded .22 cal pistol.
All five individuals were transported to the state police
barracks in Rutland. During processing investigators discovered
approximately 13.1 grams of crack cocaine on Collins. They
also discovered that Babcock was wanted for an outstanding drug
charge in Bennington County.
Two search warrants were executed by law enforcement during the
operation. One at a residence on Traverse Place in Rutland
City and the other on the five defendants and their vehicle. A
search of the vehicle turned up an additional 7.6 grams of crack
cocaine.
All five defendants were scheduled to be arraigned in Vermont
Superior Court, Criminal Division in Rutland. The Vermont Attorney
General's Office is prosecuting the case.
Violations cited include: five counts of the sale of crack
cocaine, possession of crack cocaine, and wanted person.
The five accused men were James Collins (aka J Real) age 32, from
Rutland, Vt. (Bail: $250,000), Samuel McGriff (aka Twist) age
29, from Catskill, NY (Bail: $100,000), Michael Hurst (aka Show or
Showtime) age 27, from Rutland, Vt. (Bail: $75,000), Nicholas
Louras, age 26, from Rutland, Vt. (Bail: $50,000), Arabella
Babcock age 20, from Rutland, Vt. (Bail: $50,000.)
