Rutland Man Sentenced to 100 Months for Drug Trafficking

BURLINGTON - The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Vermont stated that on May 5, 2026, William Corey Warner, 37, of Rutland, Vermont, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a term of 100 months' imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Warner previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base (crack cocaine) on January 9, 2026.

According to court records, on May 20, 2024, Warner was the passenger in a rental vehicle that entered a parking lot in Rutland, Vermont. Knowing that Warner was wanted, Rutland police officers approached and asked Warner to step out of the vehicle. The driver exited the vehicle, but Warner moved into the driver's seat, began operating the vehicle, struck an unmarked police vehicle and an occupied civilian vehicle, and fled from police. Eventually, Warner abandoned the vehicle, fleeing further on foot. In the vehicle police found approximately 34 grams of cocaine and 34 grams of cocaine base that Warner had intended to distribute to others.

Subsequently, on July 21, 2024, Warner was a passenger in a vehicle traveling on I-91 North to Vermont that was stopped in Greenfield, Massachusetts by Massachusetts State Police. In the vehicle troopers discovered more than 500 grams of cocaine and a loaded .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol. Warner was arrested, and on October 23, 2025, Warner was convicted by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for five offenses related to cocaine and firearm possession and sentenced in the aggregate to 7 to 9 years' imprisonment.

Warner's criminal history includes a 2011 federal conviction for conspiracy to distribute cocaine (for which he received a 60-month sentence), two State of Vermont convictions for burglary, and numerous violations of federal supervised release and state probation and parole.

First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations and the Rutland City Police Department.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicole P. Cate and Craig S. Nolan. Warner was represented by Michael J. Straub, Esq.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.