Jerry Merrow criminal record shows his vocation has been as a drug dealer at least for the past two decades

Jerry Merrow, 53, of Bennington, was charged with a felony count of possession of a pound or more of marijuana and misdemeanor counts of possession of less than 2.5 grams of cocaine, possession of less than 100 doses of morphine and possession of less than 100 doses of drugs used to treat attention deficit disorder.However, the marijuana count was modified to charge Merrow as a habitual offender. Court records show that Merrow was convicted three times on felony charges of possession of cocaine in April 1999, May 2004 and October 2005.A person convicted as a habitual offender can be sentenced to up to life in prison.In court on Tuesday, Bennington County Deputy State's Attorney Robert Plunkett asked Judge John Wesley to hold Merrow without bail because Merrow faces life in prison if convicted and because the charges involve a "significant amount of drugs.""Mr. Merrow's criminal record shows his vocation has been as a drug dealer at least for the past two decades," Plunkett said.While Wesley denied the state's request, he increased Merrow's bail from the $20,000 where it had been set during his arrest to $100,000.Wesley said the information in the affidavit that said Merrow admitted to being a drug dealer showed he "poses a not-insignificant risk to the community."In an affidavit, Vermont State Police Trooper Samuel Truex said he had received information from a "concerned citizen" who had provided reliable information in the past.Truex said he learned that Merrow had been growing marijuana outside his room in a Route 9 motel, made daily trips to Troy, N.Y., to pick up crack cocaine to sell in Bennington County and sold marijuana in Bennington and Rutland counties.On Sept. 29, Truex and other troopers with the Vermont State Police searched Merrow's motel room after getting a search warrant.Police said they found about 1.7 pounds of marijuana, 18 morphine pills and about 15 pills used to treat attention deficit disorder.As police were completing their search, a car pulled up which police believed was Merrow's car. After a short pursuit, the car stopped and police found Merrow's wife inside the car, according to the affidavit. She told officers that Merrow had run.Merrow was located by police a short distance away and taken into custody. Police said they found crack cocaine in one of Merrow's pockets.According to the affidavit, Merrow agreed to speak to police at the Vermont State Police Barracks in Shaftsbury.
Truex said Merrow said he smokes up to $1,100 worth of crack a day. Merrow said he used some of the marijuana he grew and sells the rest to pay for the crack.Merrow said he buys morphine pills for $15 to $20 apiece and sells them for $80 to $100 apiece, Truex said.According to the affidavit, Merrow is also facing charges of driving while under the influence of alcohol, possession of marijuana and possession of crack cocaine from an arrest on Sept. 21.Merrow's criminal history includes convictions for possession of marijuana from 1980, 1991, 1999 and 2005 and other drug possession charges in 1999 and 2005.The misdemeanor charges Merrow faces carry a combined maximum penalty of three years.
Merrow is being held at Marble Valley Regional Correctional Facility in Rutland.