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Superior Court Briefs: Dec. 8 - Dec. 10
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Cases heard before Judge Daniel Ford on Tuesday, December 8.
Christopher Peterson, 43, of Pittsfield was sentenced to seven to 10 years at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Cedar Junction after pleading guilty on Dec. 3 to charges of rape and breaking and entering.
Peterson sexually assaulted a 28-year-old woman in Pittsfield after breaking into her home on November 14,2012.
Cases heard before Judge Daniel Ford on Thursday, December 10.
Alan Taylor, 34, of Adams had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on single counts of burning a dwelling house and malicious destruction of personal property over $250.
He was released on personal recognizance. Taylor is accused of setting fire to the outside of a Bradley Street home in North Adams and damaging items inside. The incident allegedly occurred on October 6, 2014.
Matthew Guillou, 27, of Pittsfield had a not guilty plea entered on his behalf on a single count of possession of heroin with intent to distribute - his second offense.
He was released on $5,000 cash or $50,000 surety bail. The charge stems from the execution of a search warrant at his home on October 29, 2014.
Edward O'Bert, 33, of Pittsfield had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on three counts of rape and single counts of assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon and assault and battery.
He was released on personal recognizance. O'Bert is accused of assaulting a 22-year-old woman in Pittsfield between December 1, 2011 and April 16, 2013.
Snowy Conditions Cause Accidents on Route 7
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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Weather likely was a factor in two accidents involving four vehicles on the same stretch of road in Williamstown on Wednesday.
At 7:50 a.m., there was a single car rollover on New Ashford Road (Route 7). The lone occupant of the vehicle, the driver, refused medical assistance at the scene, Williamstown Police said. The car was towed by Ron's Auto Repair.
On Wednesday evening, there was an accident involving three vehicles on New Ashford Road.
Village Ambulance transported one person to Southwestern Vermont Medical Center. Police had no information about the person's condition.
Two vehicles from the evening accident were towed from the scene. The third vehicle was driven from the scene.
Casey Released With Time Served For Role In Triple Murder
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. - The man who helped bury the remains of three murdered Pittsfield men has been released from prison.
David Casey, 66, of Canaan, N.Y., pleaded guilty in Hampden Superior Court Monday morning to three counts of accessory after the fact, murder and three counts of accessory after the fact, intimidation of a witness. He was sentenced to sever concurrent two to two and a half years at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Cedar Junction. But he was given credit for 969 days for time served while waiting for the case to be disposed.
Casey helped Adam Hall, David Chalue and Caius Veiovis dispose of the remains of David Glasser, Edward Frampton and Robert Chadwell in what was one of the most high profile homicide cases the county has seen. Hall, Chalue and Veiovis were all found guilty of killing the three men in 2011.
The remains were found buried in Becket and Casey testified that he had used excavating equipment to help dispose of the remains. He testified in each of the three trials, which ultimately led to consecutive life sentences for each without parole.
Roofing Work May Have Caused North Adams Fire
 Firefighters contained a fire that started on a new porch roof at a home undergoing renovation on East Main Street. |
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — An errant ember may be to blame for a fire at a home undergoing renovations on East Main Street.
The house is owned by Neal Segala; it is currently unoccupied.
Neighbors said the building across from the intersection with Gallup Street had been undergoing renovations all summer. An old addition had been pulled off and a new open L-shaped porch had been built. The fire apparently began on top of the porch roof on the front left corner of the house.
"They had people working on the building today," said Fire Director Stephen Meranti. "It started on that roof and that's where they were working ... They use a torch to heat up the roofing materials and it got into the framing ... and extended into the wall."
It is believed an ember from the torch may have flared up inside the roof or wall.
The work stopped at about 4 p.m.; several calls reporting smoke and fire came in about 4:42. Meranti said a column of smoke could be seen from the downtown. All off-duty firefighters were called in.
"When we got here we had fire on the roof and the exterior wall," he said. "The guys did a great job. They grabbed the ladder to the roof, stretched a line to the roof."
Firefighters led by Lt. John Paciorek attacked the blaze from the roof and forced entrance into the vacant building to see if it extended inside. The exterior wall was pulled off at the corner and inside a second story room; firefighters also pulled of the exterior molding on the first floor. The window on the second story room was also pulled out.
The 19th-century house has balloon construction and plank walls.
"We got it before it really extended up into the attic," Meranti said. "We had to open up some walls but it's not super damaged."
The owner was planning to secure the building for the night.
Post by iBerkshires.com.
Superior Court Briefs: Nov. 24 - Dec. 4
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Cases heard before Judge John Agostini on Monday, November 24.
Jameail Beckett, 31, of Pittsfield was found not guilty of single counts of assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon and assault and battery.
He was accused of an incident involving a 28-year-old woman in Pittsfield on January 19, 2014.
Cases heard before Judge John Agostini on Tuesday, November 25.
Charles Katz, 49, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to two counts of drug violation in a school zone, and single counts of possession of heroin with intent to distribute, distribution of heroin, conspiracy to violate drug laws and possession of Lorazepam.
He was ordered to serve two years at the Berkshire County House of Correction on the school zone charge and given one-day sentences on the others. The charges stem from the execution of a search warrant at 35 Appleton Avenue in Pittsfield on February 27, 2014.
Eric Alfonso, 31, of Adams pleaded guilty to two counts of receiving stolen property over $250.
He was given two and a half years at the Berkshire County House of Correction. He was also placed on two-years probation and ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution.
Alfonso sold copper that belonged to Iberdrola Renewables between November 4, 2013 and November 8, 2013.
Cases heard before Judge John Agostini on Wednesday, November 26.
Robert Tremble, 24, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to single counts of possession of oxycodone, illegal possession of a firearm, possession of ammunition without a firearm identification card and receiving stolen property over $250.
He was given two and a half years at the Berkshire County House of Correction on the receiving stolen property charge. He was given suspended sentences on the rest and placed on two-years probation.
The incident occurred in North Adams on December 8, 2013.
Single counts of trafficking in Oxycodone, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm with a prior conviction of a serious drug offense and illegal possession of a loaded firearm were dismissed by the state.
William Thornton III, 51, of Pittsfield had a not guilty plea entered on his behalf on a single count of open and gross lewdness.
He was ordered to held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $2,500 bail. Thornton is accused on exposing himself to a 19-year-old woman in Pittsfield on September 1, 2014.
Nathaniel Greene, 58, of Lee pleaded guilty to single counts of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol - his fifth offense - and operating a motor vehicle with a revoked license as a habitual traffic offender.
The charges are in connection with an incident in Lee on June 20, 2014. He was ordered to serve two and a half years at the Berkshire County House of Correction on the operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol and given one-year on the other charge, to be served after the two and a half.
Cases heard before Judge Daniel Ford on Wednesday, December 3.
Christopher Peterson, 43, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to single counts of aggravated rape and breaking and entering in the nighttime.
He was ordered to be held without bail at the Berkshire County House of Correction. Peterson sexually assaulted a 28-year-old woman in Pittsfield after breaking into her home on November 14, 2012.
Geraldo Martel, 25, had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on single counts of armed robbery while masked and assault by means of a dangerous weapon.
Martel is accused of a robbery of the Cumberland Farms on Route 2 in North Adams. He was ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $100,000 cash or $1 million surety bail.
Kayla Ferrell-Gibbs, 21, of Pittsfield had not guilty pleas entered on her behalf on two counts of distribution of cocaine and single counts of conspiracy to violate drug laws and possession of a counterfeit substance with intent to distribute.
She was released on personal recognizance. The charges stem from drug sales in Pittsfield between September 22, 2014 and September 30, 2014.
Cases heard before Judge Daniel Ford on Thursday, December 4.
Adam Filby, 30, of Adams pleaded guilty to five counts of possession of buprenorphine, and single counts of possession of oxycodone, possession of propranolol, possession of Tramadol, possession of clodine, and possession of amitrityline.
All charges were continued without a finding. Filby was in possession of prescription medication in Adams on November 13, 2013.
Matthew Main, 25, of Adams pleaded guilty to single counts of larceny from a building and malicious destruction of personal property.
The charge is in connection with a break into a home in Adams between September 13, 2013 and November 5, 2013. He was given concurrent 18-month suspended jail sentences and placed on two-years probation.
Lameek Thomas, 25, of Pittsfield had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on two counts of possession of a firearm without a firearm identification card - his second offense - and single counts of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and improper storage of a firearm.
He was ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $10,000 cash or $100,000 surety bail. The charges stem from the execution of a search warrant at his home on November 4, 2014.
