BURLINGTON — A Vermont man was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for unlawful possession of firearms, announced the United States Attorney’s Office.
Ryan Goodrich, 38, from Athens, was sentenced on Dec. 20 following his guilty plea in the United States District Court in Rutland.
Chief United States District Judge Geoffrey W.
Crawford also ordered a three-year term of supervised release after Goodrich’s imprisonment.
The Vermont Game Wardens initiated an investigation into Goodrich in the late winter of 2022 for fish and wildlife regulation violations.
A search of Goodrich’s Facebook account, authorized by a warrant, disclosed a photo of a short-barrel shotgun and messages suggesting he had used and likely still possessed the firearm at his residence.
On March 3, 2022, agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, in collaboration with the wardens, conducted a search at Goodrich’s home.
They discovered the shotgun, which was loaded and unregistered, additional firearms, thousands of rounds of ammunition, cash, and a significant amount of heroin.
After Goodrich was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 10, 2022, efforts to locate him ensued.
He was eventually found and arrested at a hotel in Deerfield, Massachusetts, while attempting to travel to Texas.
Further investigation into Goodrich’s social media accounts revealed his involvement in drug trafficking in March 2022.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest praised the collaborative efforts of the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, along with several state and local law enforcement agencies for their role in the investigation and arrest of Goodrich.
Colonel Justin Stedman from the Department of Fish and Wildlife emphasized the successful partnership between state and federal agencies in pursuing the case.
