Local man pleads not guilty in federal gun, drug case

A South Burlington businessman and landlord has been arrested on a federal felony charge that he lied to a licensed gun dealer during the purchase of a firearm for a drug dealer, officials said.

Keith Aaron, 52, pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court to a charge that he made false and fictitious written statements while buying a Canik 9mm handgun from the Powderhorn Outdoors Sports Center in Williston on May 18, records show.

Aaron, who operates Bing Enterprises, falsely claimed on the purchase form that he was the actual buyer of the firearm to deceive the licensed dealer, the indictment said.

U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, which is handling the case, arrested Aaron in Winooski last week.

Federal Magistrate Judge Kevin Doyle has twice rejected efforts to spring Aaron from pre-trial detention because of his active use of regulated drugs, records show. Doyle noted the weight of the evidence was great and Aaron had a history of both alcohol and substance abuse, records show.

“Aaron has abused multiple controlled substances over the course of the past year. Given his apparent immediate dependency on these substances, no conditions will ensure his safety or the safety of the community from him at this time,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia A. P. Cowles wrote shortly after his arrest.

Defense lawyer Frank J. Twarog, who was hired by Aaron, subsequently asked for reconsideration after he had been detained for three days. He noted Aaron had still tested positive for cocaine a few days after he was lodged at the Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans, but that by the time the court might release him, the defendant would be sober.

Twarog also wrote Aaron tested negative for heroin and noted that Aaron was not well received by inmates at the St. Albans prison.

Twarog said inmates beat Aaron to steal his shoes. Aaron was injured and sustained a split lip that the lawyer said went untreated for the remainder of the day. Twarog feared Aaron might be in danger of further assaults if he remained at the prison.

Twarog said Aaron was willing to enroll in Valley Vista, a drug rehabilitation treatment center in Bradford.

Doyle has given the defense until Feb. 1 to file any pre-trial motions. The case will be handled by federal judge Christina Reiss in Burlington.

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