A federal jury in Burlington convicted a New York man for his role in a scheme to sell opiate painkillers in Vermont over the course of six years.
Michael Foreste, known as “Beast,” was convicted 10 charges last week for working with a group of several others, including New York City police officer Andre Clarke, to traffic oxycodone pills to Vermont between 2008 and June 2014, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney for the District of Vermont’s office.
Prosecutors say the painkillers originated with Carol Clarke, a Brooklyn woman who was prescribed hundreds of oxycodone pills every month to treat sickle cell disease. She passed the pills to her brother, Andre Clarke, who then passed them to Foreste.
At first, Foreste distributed the painkillers in Vermont himself, selling them with help from addicts in the community, the news release states.
In 2012,Vermont State Police stopped Foreste on Interstate 91 in 2012, and during the stop, seized 659 pills from him. He was convicted in federal court in 2013 for possession with intent to distribute the pills.
However, Foreste was on pretrial release before his conviction in that case, and continued to participate in the illicit distribution of the painkillers in Vermont, according to the release.
After April 2012, he began working with Burlington-area resident Dannis Hackney. Foreste mailed the drugs to Hackney, who would then sell them locally.
According to the release, the four people involved shared the proceeds from the scheme through bank accounts. Foreste reportedly earned more than $500,000 in profits.
A jury found Foreste guilty of one count of conspiring to distribute oxycodone in Vermont, seven counts of distributing oxycodone, and two counts of money laundering. He was found not guilty on one other distribution charge.
Each count could carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
Andre Clark pleaded guilty to charges relating to his involvement in the scheme in May and is scheduled to be sentenced next month. His sister, Carol Clarke, is awaiting trial for conspiring to distribute oxycodone.
Hackney pleaded guilty to charges against him last month. He and Foreste are awaiting sentencing.
