BURLINGTON — The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced on Tuesday, March 21, that a federal grand jury has indicted Jack Gower, 36, of Burlington, for distributing controlled substances to a person under 21 years of age.
Gower pleaded not guilty to the charges during an arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle on March 21, 2024.
Judge Doyle ordered Gower to be released on conditions during the pretrial phase of the case.
According to court records, Gower met a juvenile on Reddit in the spring of 2023 and began selling controlled substances, including Xanax and Dilaudid, to the minor.
In May 2023, the juvenile suffered a non-fatal overdose from controlled substances believed to have been acquired from Gower.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains only allegations and that Gower is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
If convicted, Gower faces a mandatory minimum of 1 year in prison and up to 40 years in prison.
The actual sentence would be determined by the Court, guided by the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and statutory sentencing factors.
