Man arrested, charged for having 26 pounds on cocaine in kayak on a Vermont lake

BURLINGTON, Vt. — A man from Rhode Island was arrested in Highgate, Vermont, and charged with cocaine possession with intent to distribute by federal authorities, officials say.

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Freddy Rodriguez, 38, was charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced.

According to court records, Rodriguez was encountered by federal agents near a rented camp in Highgate during the evening of Sept. 18 into the morning of Sept. 19. He was seen reportedly walking to the Lake Champlain shoreline just after midnight with a bag. Federal agents got a notice that a vessel had gotten into the lake heading towards the camp in Highgate.

Rodriguez was seen moving items from his bag into the kayak just before dragging the kayak into the water, court records said, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Federal agents confronted Rodriguez who attempted to flee.

The objects in his bag were “brick-like objects wrapped in black cellophane-style packaging containing a white powder that tested presumptively positive for the presence of cocaine.” The objects weighed about 26.4 pounds, the U.S. Attorney’s office said.

If convicted, Rodriguez would be facing five to 40 years in prison, according to The Associated Press. Rodriquez was released on pretrial supervision conditions following a detention hearing on Monday.