A federal grand jury has indicted Marshall Gagne, 35, of Weathersfield, Vermont, on charges including possession of firearms as a convicted felon, possessing fentanyl and cocaine with intent to distribute, and possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. The indictment was returned on January 21, 2026. Gagne’s arraignment is set for February 23, 2026, before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle.
Court records state that law enforcement arrested Gagne on May 19, 2025, in a hotel room in Claremont, New Hampshire. Officers forced entry into the room where Gagne and six others were present and discovered evidence that firearms and drugs had recently been flushed down the drain. Authorities found Gagne carrying over $11,000 in cash and a backpack with fentanyl and cocaine residue.
On May 20, 2025, police executed a search warrant at a residence in Weathersfield linked to Gagne. During the search they recovered additional suspected drug proceeds and twelve firearms—among them privately made “ghost” guns and a silencer. The camping trailer where these items were stored also contained the box for a handgun found at the hotel room from the previous night. According to authorities, Gagne has prior felony convictions that prohibit him from owning firearms.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office noted: “An indictment contains allegations only and that Marshall Gagne is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.” If convicted on all counts, Gagne could face up to 15 years for firearm possession by a felon, up to 20 years for drug distribution charges, plus an additional mandatory minimum sentence of five years if convicted of possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. Sentencing would be determined by the District Court using advisory guidelines and statutory factors.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt recognized several agencies involved in the investigation: “the investigatory efforts of the Vermont State Police, the Vermont Drug Task Force, the FBI, the Claremont New Hampshire Police Department, the Hartford Vermont Police Department, and the Brattleboro Police Department.”
Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill will prosecute the case. No attorney has yet appeared for Gagne.
This prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America—a national initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration as well as eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations.
