Five Arrested in 6:30 AM Drug Raid on Elmwood and North Champlain

Members of the Burlington Police Department Emergency Response Unit and Detective Bureau executed search warrants at 25 Elmwood Ave. #3 and 86 North Champlain St. #1, arresting five people and seizing evidence of alleged drug sales and possession that is currently being processed by BPD’s Detective Bureau. The warrants were executed at 6:30 AM Thursday, Feb. 12.

The five arrested were identified as Kenneth Seales, 48, of Jamaica, NY; Darren Zanders, 60, of Bloomfield, CT; Shawntaya Miles, 23, of Burlington; Michael Saez, 47, of Springfield, MA; and Brittany Knight, 36, of Morristown. Burlington Daily News lists Seales as charged with three sales of cocaine, possession of cocaine, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of fentanyl. Zanders is listed as charged with three sales of cocaine and possession of cocaine. Miles was arrested on an outstanding warrant for failing to appear in court on an underlying charge of assault and robbery. Saez was arrested on an outstanding warrant for domestic assault, interference with access to emergency services, and unlawful mischief. Knight was arrested on an outstanding warrant for failing to appear in court for the underlying charge of unlawful trespass into an occupied residence.

Court and custody status reported across local outlets varied by arrestee. Seales and Zanders were expected or due to be arraigned Friday, Feb. 13. Miles and Saez appeared in court and were released on court-ordered conditions. Knight was being held and was due in court on Friday, according to reporting that followed the Feb. 12 operation.

Police described the operation as the culmination of a drug inquiry that relied on controlled purchases to link activity to the two apartments. Burlington Daily News reported, "The search warrant activity marks the conclusion of a drug investigation that included several controlled purchases of drug evidence." Western Mass News attributed similar wording to Burlington Police Det. Lt. Mike Beliveau: "Investigators executed a search warrant on two apartments following a drug investigation that included 'several controlled purchases of drug evidence.'"

The Elmwood Avenue apartment is the same location officers responded to on Sunday, Feb. 7, which drew public attention; local coverage also noted officers blocked the road Saturday in what police called an active scene. The two addresses fall in Burlington’s Old North End neighborhood, where neighbors reported seeing heightened police presence over the weekend prior to Thursday’s warrants.

Burlington Police provided investigator contacts for anyone with information: Det. Padric Hartnett at (802) 540-2351, phartnett@bpdvt.org; Det. Joe Corrow at (802) 540-2347, jcorrow@bpdvt.org; or the Burlington Police drug tip line at 802-540-2420. Burlington Daily News emphasized, "Reporting drug activity helps solve and prevent further crimes." Follow-up reporting will seek charging documents, inventory of seized items, and court dockets for the expected arraignments.