Bennington police said they broke up a major drug-selling operation and caught a suspect in two recent shootings when they served a search warrant Thursday morning in Bennington.
Miguel A. Perez-Agramonte, 18, of Springfield, Massachusetts, was held without bail on charges of aggravated assault, possession of cocaine, trafficking fentanyl and conspiracy. Police said Perez-Agramonte told them that he had been involved in recent shootings on Barber and Main streets in Bennington, using one of the guns police recovered Thursday.
Three men were charged with possession of cocaine, trafficking fentanyl, and conspiracy. Bail was set at $25,000 for Gabriel Lebron, 32, of Florence, Massachusetts, and Peter Aleksonis, 55, of Bennington, and at $15,000 for Cristian Y. Torres-Santiago, 20, of Springfield, Massachusetts.
Brian Dillard, 36, of Bennington was also arrested at the scene on a warrant charging him with petit larceny. He had failed to appear for his court arraignment Oct. 3. Dillard posted $200 bail, police said.
All five were due for arraignment Thursday in Bennington County Superior Court. Police said more information in the case would be disclosed in court.
Investigators from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security joined Bennington police in executing the search warrant at 546 Main St. in Bennington, where Aleksonis lives. Bennington police said this was the third search warrant they’d served at that location for narcotics trafficking.
Police said they forced open the front door of the apartment while the people inside tried to flee out the back door. Seven people were taken into custody, police said.
In searching the apartment and the people inside it, police said, they found three firearms, more than $7,000 in cash, and about 7,200 bags of heroin, marijuana, prescription tablets and crack cocaine.
Police said the investigation is continuing and they expect more arrests in coming weeks.
Earlier in the week, Police Chief Paul Doucette told the Bennington selectboard at its regular meeting that 17 gunfire incidents had been reported so far this year in Bennington. He said town police were working with state and federal agencies, and with assistance from the community, “to curb some of this violence.”
As reported by the Bennington Banner, Doucette told the board he believes that in time the tide can be turned against drug trafficking, which is at the root of the sharp increase in gun violence.
— Tom Kearney
