Around the time Operation Marble Valley was sweeping Rutland County, Operation Byrne Blitz, headed by the Vermont Drug Task Force, was sweeping the state. The "Blitz" took its name from the federally funded Byrne Justice Assistance Grant, aka the Edward Byrne Discretionary Grant program. The Byrne Grant funds state-run Drug Task Forces across the nation. The Task Forces allot the money to various combos of law enforcement, prevention, and treatment. Vermont's Drug Task Force receives much of its funding from Byrne. In 2008, Byrne faced heavy cuts, even elimination, by the Bush administration. Groups ranging from the ACLU to the National Taxpayers Union were urging Bush to drop Byrne. Complaints covered a wide spectrum and included racial profiling, corruption, and ineffectiveness. Operation Byrne Blitz was a national action meant to demonstrate the efficacy of drug task forces.
Though some people wax cynical over highly publicized law enforcement actions driven by the desire to protect discretionary funding, Operation Byrne Blitz swept up some notables in Vermont. Such as Ronald L. Saldi Jr., a big frog from tiny (pop. 3,200) white-spired Williamstown incentral Vermont.
Middle aged Ronald "Chip" Saldi was no body shop operator or out-of-state thug. Public and commercial facilities in Williamstown bear the Saldi name. The Saldi family has long-standing development interests in the Williamstown area. Ron Saldi Jr. was owner of A&S Collection, a Williamstown-based (but Florida incorporated) debt recovery business. The Saldi clan has been in the collection business for several generations, as the earlier International Collection Service, Inc. and as variations on "A&S". A&S has had corporate offices in Arizona as well as Vermont. A 2008 deal with a Florida-based import/export company with offices in Mexico City, had A&S set to collect on U.S. invoices owed to businesses in Mexico**. A&S is also a presence on certain Internet bulletin boards-- ones where consumers dish abusive collection practices such as inaccurate claims, threats to ruin credit, and incessant phone calls.
In 2005, Vermont filed a consumer fraud lawsuit against A&S Collection Associates, Inc. for processing (as in, printing and banking) demand drafts while working in concert with two interrelated Canadian telemarketing firms, Callcom and CAS Professionals. Demand drafts, also known as remotely created checks or tele-checks, debit consumers' checking accounts but don't require their signatures or agreement in writing. Only verbal agreements and checking account numbers are needed. Though demand drafts are used in many legit transactions, they also have a major rep for fraud. In Vermont, demand drafts without written authorization are illegal. Vermont's lawsuit resulted in a settlement from A&S. Callcom and CAS paid penalties as well and were also banned from telemarketing in the U.S. by order of a federal judge. Both telemarketers had fraudulently promised to help consumers obtain government loans.
In 2006, Ron Saldi filed a license renewal for A&S in Massachusetts without revealing the Vermont suit. Mass eventually barred A&S from employing Ron Saldi Jr. as an agent in that state. In late 2008, A&S's license was lifted in Arizona due to false information being filed about the ownership transfer of A&S from Ron Saldi Jr. to his daughter. The transfer had taken place around the time of Saldi's drug bust.
Ron Saldi Jr. was one of the higher level dealers busted by Operation Byrne Blitz; he was supplying other dealers with cocaine and marijuana in bulk. Saldi's suppliers were based in the US. and Canada. According to authorities, Ron Saldi had been distributing for at least six years. After being arrested in March 2008, Saldi transferred $300,000 from his personal bank account into an account held by his father. He also immediately agreed to help bust other dealers. Saldi spent no time in jail; his case went into pending mode. For months, Saldi worked closely with an undercover State Police detective in a relationship that became akin to friendship. Or so itseemed.
Not only was Ron Saldi alerting dealers to Officer Undercover's existence, he was describing him in detail. (Valuable info since the officer was convincing in his role.) Thereby putting the detective in situations where murder was a possibility. Saldi didn't tip every dealer he knew; he favored some over others. He even helped send a few to jail. Meanwhile, Saldi continued dealing. He barely paused after being Byrne Blitzed. Saldi's two face was revealed when another dealer described working with him, saying he usually picked up product at Saldi's home or in a garage attached to his (Saldi's) daughter's house. He also described a conversation in which Saldi bragged about all the drugs the cops didn't find when they raided his home in 2008. The dealer agreed to wear a wire at future get-togethers with Saldi. In 2009, Ron Saldi was arrested again.
Saldi pleaded guilty to both sets of drug dealing charges and blamed his betrayal of Officer Undercover on Oxycontin addiction. Claiming he wanted to keep on the good side of dealers who supplied him. Prosecutors interpreted the betrayal differently. Saying it verged on "sociopathic". The federal judge seemed to agree. Last December Ron Saldi Jr. got nine years. A rather stiff sentence for Vermont.
Operation EndlessThese are just a few Vermont drug stories. I could go on (and on) but space is limited. Those seeking further reading might want to start with the last two years of press releases from the U.S. Attorney's Office. As for the Byrne Grant, it didn't go away. In Vermont, Senator Patrick Leahy saved the day. Securing $6 million (channeled from the economic stimulus package) for the Drug Task Force. Leahy's announcement in March 2009 re the enhanced funding coincided with a sweep of 16 drug peeps in St. Albans in northern Vermont. On March 19th of this year, the Task Force initiative Operation Connecticut Valley 2010 rounded up 24 street level dealers of crack/heroin/cocaine/oxy/marijuana in the southern counties of Windham and Windsor. On March 20th in Rutland, Kevin "Swerve" Ballard of Brooklyn was busted by the Task Force for selling crack and heroin from the home of a downtown resident. Neighbors are glad to see Swerve go. The address was a drug hot spot for years (allegedly) and they're tired of calling the cops.
One last bit of Saldi saga. In mid-2009, Ronald Saldi Sr. (father of Ron Jr.) was the target of a home invasion. The 67-year-old retiree described the unknown invader as a tall thin black man. Saldi Senior said he and his young Vietnamese fiancà ©e were shoved around and threatened at gunpoint. The assailant supposedly robbed Saldi Sr. of roughly $1000. Saldi said he only had the cash on hand 'cause he was planning to buy his fiancà ©e a present. Saldi also claimed the home invader referenced Ron Jr., saying he talked too much. Folks in Saldi's neighborhood were shocked by the attack. A fellow who'd just moved to "quiet Vermont" from New York told NBC affiliate WPTZ "I thought I kind of left a lot of that behind..."
Think again, friend. Vermont has multiple realities. It's not all maple syrup and town meetings.
Carola Von Hoffmannstahl-Solomonoff
Mondo QT
*Judge orders release of Vermont drug-ring suspect, Sam Hemingway, Burlington Free Press, 02/24/10
**"Contract Signed with A&S Collections in US JAM, LLC." Press Release, 04/22/08
Carola Von Hoffmannstahl-Solomonoff
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