Burlington Standard

Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont announced that on August 5, 2024, Damien Peatman, 26, of Eden, Vermont, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a term of 29 months’ imprisonment followed by a three-year term of supervised release. Peatman previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

According to court records, Peatman distributed over two kilograms of cocaine from February 2021 to December 2022 from his family home in Eden, Vermont. Peatman kept a handgun as part of his operation that he received from a drug customer as payment for drugs. When police searched Peatman's residence, they found a flag hung in his bedroom which read, “It’s not a crack house, it’s a crack home.” Witnesses described the Peatman residence as “the main place to go in Eden” to purchase cocaine. Peatman even used cocaine as payment for contractors who worked on the house.

United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the Vermont State Police.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nate Burris, Nicole Cate and Colin Owyang. Peatman was represented by Lisa Shelkrot, Esq.

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 make neighborhoods safer. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in communities; supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence; setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities; and measuring results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.