Barry Perez, a resident of Lebanon, New Hampshire, has been sentenced to 78 months in prison following his guilty plea for kidnapping an interstate trucker. Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss delivered the sentence on June 20, 2025. Following his imprisonment, Perez will undergo a five-year supervised release period. The court also mandated restitution payments amounting to $44,626 and suggested that the Bureau of Prisons should not credit Perez for time served prior to sentencing.
The incident took place on January 13, 2023. Court documents reveal that Perez stole a box truck in Lebanon and drove it into Vermont under the influence of illegal drugs. After crashing near Exit 1 on Interstate 89, he coerced a tractor-trailer driver at gunpoint—later identified as a pellet gun—to drive him further north. The trucker managed to escape when Perez fell asleep.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher praised the investigative work of several agencies: “the collaborative investigatory efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Vermont State Police, and the Berlin Police Department” were acknowledged.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Van de Graaf led the prosecution while Federal Public Defender Michael Desautels represented Perez.
