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U.S. NEWS Friday 8 February 2019

Vermont man who harassed black

lawmaker faces gun charge

By LISA RATHKE
Associated Press
BENNINGTON, Vt. (AP) — A
self-described white na-
tionalist who has harassed
Vermont’s only female
black legislator who later
resigned pleaded not guilty
on Thursday to two counts
of possessing illegal, large
capacity gun magazines.
This 2005 photo provided by U.S. Drug Enforcement Max Misch, 36, was ordered
Administration officials shows puppies rescued from a farm in not to possess, use or buy
Colombia destined for use by a U.S. veterinarian working for a firearms and to have no
Colombian drug trafficking ring. contact with former Rep.
Associated Press Kiah Morris, her husband or
Vet sentenced for Misch’s ex-wife. The judge
also granted the state’s re-
implanting heroin in quest to have the Vermont Max Misch, a self-described white nationalist, walks out of the
State
Police
confiscate
puppies as drug mules Misch’s weapons and am- Bennington County courtroom, Thursday afternoon, Feb. 7, 2019,
munition to ensure that he
in Bennington, Vt.
abides by the conditions. Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — A veterinarian who surgically implant- “When people talk about ex-wife said Misch “had a vestigated and found that
ed liquid heroin in puppies on behalf of Colombian drug stockpiling weapons and predatory nature and tries Misch’s harassment was
traffickers was sentenced to six years in prison Thursday. ammunition, talk about to intimidate people physi- protected by free speech
One of the puppies went on to become a drug-detec- white supremacy, that cally and through the inter- and violated no laws so
tion dog named Heroina. concerns me,” said Attor- net,” the affidavit said. prosecutors declined to
The sentence for Andres Lopez Elorez was announced in ney General T.J. Donovan Police searched his home prosecute .
Brooklyn by U.S. Attorney Richard P. Donoghue and other who attended the arraign- on Wednesday and found Misch showed up at a press
law enforcement officials. ment. two 30-round magazines, conference last month
Elorez, who pleaded guilty in September to conspiring to According to an affidavit, police said. Donovan said when officials announced
import heroin into the United States, was part of a scheme Vermont State Police in- he believes it’s the first time the findings. He told report-
that turned puppies and dogs into drug couriers by stitch- vestigated after learning that someone has been ers afterward that he’s an
ing packets of liquid heroin into their bodies. in January that Misch had charged with illegally pos- online troll out of boredom
The U.S. government said Elorez leased a farm in Medellin, allegedly purchased an sessing such magazines in and because “it’s fun.”
Colombia, where he secretly raised dogs and surgically AK-47 and several 30-round Vermont. Donovan called the case
implanted bags of liquid heroin in nine puppies for impor- magazines. Last year, She tried to fight the court “a dynamic situation.”
tation. the Vermont Legislature order that he not have, use “We’re going to continue
On Jan. 1, 2005, law enforcement searched the farm and passed a law banning high or buy weapons, saying he to do our job, and inves-
seized 17 bags of liquid heroin, including 10 bags that capacity magazines. has received death threats tigate the facts and the
were removed from puppies. Misch’s ex-wife told po- and wishes to possess them evidence that we know
Three of the puppies died after contracting a virus follow- lice that she had disclosed for his own personal safety that bias incidences and
ing the surgeries. to her therapist concerns but the judge imposed the hate crimes are happen-
The Colombian-born Elorez was a fugitive until he was ar- about Misch purchasing condition. ing in this state. We have
rested in Spain in 2015; he was extradited to the United weapons, large capacity Morris resigned in Septem- zero tolerance for it,” he
States in May 2018. magazines and stockpiling ber after being racially ha- said. “We’ll investigate it
At least two of the puppies went on to a better existence. ammunition, the police af- rassed online, and the vic- and when the evidence is
Donna, a beagle, was adopted by a Colombian police fidavit said. The therapist tim of other incidents. Ver- sufficient we will prosecute
officer and his family. Heroina, a Rottweiler, was trained alerted police, according mont State Police and the people for these acts of
by Colombian police to be a drug detection dog.q to the affidavit. Misch’s attorney general’s office in- hate.”q