Burlington’s Kevin Martin, who also goes by “Kingbread,” and
previously went by “Kornbread,” has denied allegations he sold crack
cocaine to an undercover police informant.
Burlington
police arrested the 36-year-old Martin Tuesday afternoon, a day after
officers arrested another man suspected of selling cocaine to an
informant.
Martin
is something of a “legend” at the University of Vermont, according to
Becky Hayes, an editor of the student-run Vermont Cynic. Hayes wrote
about Martin in September after campus police arrested him on suspicion
of disorderly conduct.
“Basically,
everyone knows who he is because he’s always walking down the street
yelling new rap songs,” Hayes said. “Or being really loud at 3 a.m.”
He can be intimidating, she said, “but those who talk to him know him as a nice guy.”
Martin
pleaded not guilty Wednesday morning in Vermont Superior Court in
Burlington to three felony counts of cocaine sale, one felony count of
cocaine possession and one misdemeanor count of marijuana possession.
Judge Kevin Griffin ordered him held for lack of $5,000 bail. Martin remained incarcerated as of 2 p.m. Wednesday.
Martin
sold crack cocaine to an undercover informant three times this month,
according to an affidavit written by Burlington Police Detective Cpl.
Daniel Gilligan. Gilligan wrote that he and many other officers knew
Martin as “Cornbread,” though Hayes said Martin changed his alias from
“Kornbread” to “Kingbread” late last year.
Police arrested Martin at about 1:40 p.m. Tuesday on College Street and later searched his apartment on South Prospect Street.
Back
at the station, Martin told Gilligan he sold drugs to support his
cocaine habit and, when asked how many drugs he sold, said he did not
remember selling drugs, according to the affidavit.
“I
also asked Martin to identify his customers and his sources,” Gilligan
wrote. “He refused and told me that he could not do that.”
Burlington
police arrested Martin a day after arresting Leander Perry, 36, of
Essex, saying he, too, sold cocaine to an informant. Perry pleaded not
guilty Tuesday to three felony counts of cocaine sale, a felony count of
cocaine possession and misdemeanor counts of attempting to elude police
and resisting arrest.
Since
the start of the year, the agency has arrested 22 people on suspicion
of committing crimes involving either the possession or sale of cocaine
or heroin, according to Deputy Police Chief Andi Higbee.
Burlington
Police Chief Mike Schirling said earlier this month that the force was
cracking down on illegal drug activity to thwart drug traffickers and
curb an “epidemic” of heroin use in the city.
