A Colchester man learned his fate in a Burlington federal courtroom on Friday, marking the conclusion of a violent chapter that left a young man dead and exposed a thriving narcotics operation in Franklin County.
U.S. District Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford sentenced 39-year-old Dominique Troupe to 20 years in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for his role in a 2022 attempted robbery that spiraled into a fatal shooting.
The sentencing follows a May 2024 jury conviction where Troupe was found guilty of conspiracy to distribute cocaine base, conspiracy to commit robbery, and aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. While Troupe received the heaviest sentence, his associates, Eric Raymond and Jesse Sweet, previously received twelve and six years, respectively, after entering guilty pleas.
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The case dates back to July 2021, when Troupe began supplying crack cocaine to residents in Swanton. According to court records, Troupe’s operation moved multiple ounces of the drug every week until early 2022, when a rival dealer set up shop at 45 First Street. The competition reportedly crippled Troupe’s sales, prompting a plan to eliminate the rivalry through force.
Evidence presented at trial revealed that Troupe turned an idea for a robbery into a reality on the morning of February 2, 2022. Prosecutors stated that Troupe provided a firearm to Eric Raymond and drove the group to the First Street residence. The encounter turned deadly when 22-year-old Elijah Oliver of Massachusetts was shot twice and killed during the struggle.
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Following the homicide, Troupe fled the state and ordered a co-conspirator to shut down his cell phone service. However, his absence was temporary. He eventually returned to Vermont to resume his distribution business, even selling drugs to a confidential informant. When law enforcement finally apprehended him in September 2022, he was found carrying 188.9 grams of cocaine base.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt credited the “collaborative investigatory efforts of Vermont State Police, the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Swanton Police Department” for bringing the case to a close.
Troupe was represented by attorney Kevin Henry, while the prosecution was led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Turner and recently retired Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Drescher.
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