Springfield, Massachusetts Man Who Left Drug Trafficking for Barbering Sentenced to Probation

Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on May 13, 2024, Christian Torres-Santiago, 21, of Springfield, Massachusetts, was sentenced by United States District Judge William K. Sessions III to two years of probation. Torres-Santiago previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base.

According to court records, in October 2022, Torres-Santiago was present at a residence in Bennington, Vermont, when law enforcement executed a search warrant. Among other contraband and other items found in the residence, law enforcement found in Torres-Santiago’s possession over 2,000 bags of fentanyl/heroin packaged for sale, approximately 25 grams of cocaine base, $4,400 in cash, and a Colt .45 caliber handgun, fully loaded with its serial number obliterated.

At sentencing, Judge Sessions emphasized the gravely serious nature of Torres-Santiago’s conduct and the danger it posed to the Bennington community. He also emphasized Torres-Santiago’s young age, his lack of any prior criminal history, and that since his arrest and release in the fall of 2022, Torres-Santiago has not only complied with all pretrial supervision conditions, but also studied for, and nearly completed the requirements to obtain, a barbering license in Connecticut. As Judge Sessions put it, he had “earned his freedom” by leaving the business of drug trafficking entirely and working hard to alter the direction of his life. The sentence of probation will require Torres-Santiago not to stray from this path, or, if he does, to face a resentencing on the full scope of his conduct.

United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations and the Bennington Police Department.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Corinne Smith and Jonathan Ophardt. Lisa Shelkrot, Esq., represented Torres-Santiago.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.