Man Pleads Guilty in Vermont Drug Case; Faces 15-18 Years

A man from the Dominican Republic who federal prosecutors say helped bring drugs to the Vermont city of Rutland has agreed to serve 15 to 18 years in prison after pleading guilty to a variety of drug charges.

Prosecutors say 49-year-old David Baez Garcia entered the plea in federal court in Burlington, ending a jury trial that began Sept. 9.

Prosecutors say Baez Garcia brought hundreds of grams of heroin and multiple kilograms of cocaine into Vermont from the summer of 2009 through June 2010.

As a result of the broader investigation, prosecutors say 17 defendants associated with this drug conspiracy were convicted, including Baez Garcia.

Brooks Arthur, the attorney for Baez Garcia, says "it was a long process" and that they are satisfied with the outcome.