Newport Police Department Charges Two Men With Heroin and Fentanyl Trafficking

NEWPORT, Vt. — Chief Seth C. DiSanto reports that two men were arrested over the weekend and charged with trafficking heroin and fentanyl.

MICHAEL SINQUELL-GAINEY, AGE 24, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS and DAVID VAZ, AGE 28, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS were arrested and charged with:

Possession of Heroin (Two Grams or More)
Trafficking Heroin (3.5 Grams or More)
Trafficking Fentanyl (70 Milligrams or More)
Transportation of Fentanyl (20 Milligrams or More) Into the StateAdditionally, VAZ was charged with:
Obstructing Justice
Providing False Information to a Police Officer

On Saturday, March 24, at approximately 1:40 a.m., an officer parked near Cumberland Farms on East Main Street began following a vehicle after observing it enter the gas station parking lot the wrong way.

The officer observed as the driver, later identified as SINQUELL-GAINEY, drove erratically for a short period of time before being stopped as he entered Interstate 91.

During an on-scene investigation, Newport Police noticed an odor of marijuana coming from SINQUELL-GAINEY and the passenger, VAZ. A Border Patrol K-9 Unit sniffed the area around the vehicle and identified the driver’s side and passenger side, as well as the gas cap and trunk area, as possibly suspicious.

With SINQUELL-GAINEY’S permission, officers began searching the car and found several cell phones, as well as a hidden compartment that was glued shut but appeared to have items inside. As Newport Police and Border Patrol searched the trunk, SINQUELL-GAINEY requested that they halt their search shortly after they located a layer of white powder on the inside.

Based on the results of the preliminary search, Newport Police seized the car and subsequently applied for a search warrant. The warrant was issued later Saturday, and officers conducted a thorough search. That search yielded 40 bundles that held a total of 400 bags that contained both heroin and fentanyl.

SINQUELL-GAINEY and VAZ arrived at the Newport Police station at approximately 12:05 a.m., Sunday, March 25. As he was being issued a ticket for possession of marijuana from the previous night, officers learned VAZ had provided a false name during their initial interaction.

Following the booking process, both men were transported to the Northern State Correctional Facility. Prior to his departure, VAZ made subtle threats that officers interpreted as an attempt to intimidate them.

“Fentanyl and heroin have killed thousands of Americans and are at the root of a nationwide epidemic that has had a measurable impact on our community,” Chief DiSanto said. “I’m enormously proud of the work of our officers in taking a significant amount of these deadly drugs off the streets. However, I urge residents to remain vigilant and be aware of the possibility that some of these drugs could already have made it into circulation.”

Based upon the evidence seized by Newport Police, residents who come into contact with baggies labeled “POISON” are asked to contact the department immediately.

Both men were arraigned yesterday. SINQUELL-GAINEY was held on $100,000 bail, while VAZ was held without bail.

These are allegations. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty.

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