Burlington Man Sentenced to 11 Months in Prison in Pharmacy Burglary

Burlington, Vermont - The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Vermont stated that on August 5, 2024, Manuel Francis, 48, of Burlington, Vermont, was sentenced by United States District Judge William K. Sessions III to a term of 11 months' imprisonment to be followed by a two-year term of supervised release. Francis previously pleaded guilty to burglary of a pharmacy.

According to court records, late in the night on January 5, 2023, Francis broke into the Lakeside Pharmacy on Pearl Street, in Burlington, Vermont. Francis broke through the window of the pharmacy's back door and kicked his way through the drywall to access the stock area where he stole: 37 60-mg tablets of buprenorphine; 55 packets of various dosages of Suboxone (buprenorphine); one vial of testosterone; and more than 400 tablets of various doses of clonazepam.

United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Burlington Police Department.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Colin Owyang. Francis was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Mary Nerino.