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Superior Court Briefs: May 18 - 19

Andy McKeever

Cases heard before Judge Daniel Ford on Wednesday, May 18.

Michael Bannister
, 24, of Adams had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on two counts distribution of oxycodone, two counts of drug violation within a school zone and one count of conspiracy to violate drug laws.

Bannister was released on personal recognizance. The incidents allegedly occurred between November 1, 2010 and November 25, 2010 in Adams.

Jeffrey Baribeault, 42, of North Adams was sentenced to a two year sentence at the Berkshire County House of Correction on one count of assault and batter and placed on two years probation on a single count of intimidation of a witness.

Baribeault pleaded guilty to the charges on May 3 from the incident that involved a 39-year-old woman in Adams on July 20, 2009.

Nicholas Bondini, 27, had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on five counts of possession of oxycodone with intent to distribute, seven counts of distribution of oxycodone, two counts of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, nine counts of drug violation within a school zone and one count of conspiracy to violate drug laws.

Bondini was released on personal recognizance. The incidents allegedly occurred in Adams and North Adams between November 5, 2010 and November 25, 2010.

Edward Jennings, 24, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to single counts of assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon and larceny from a person.

Ford sentenced Jennings to two years at the Berkshire County House of Correction on the assault and batter by means of a dangerous weapon and two years probation on the larceny charge.

Jennings assaulted and took money from a 42-year-old man in Pittsfield on March 9, 2010.

Rodney K Lewis
, 46, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to one count of unarmed robbery.

Lewis was sentenced to serve four to five years in state prison at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Cedar Junction. Lewis robbed a clerk at Convenience Plus on Tyler Street on October 2, 2008.

Jeffrey V. Williams,
of Pittsfield, had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on single counts of illegal possession of a firearm, rifle or shotgun, receiving stolen property over $250, one count of possession of ammunition without proper identification and improper storage of a firearm.

Williams was released on personal recognizance. The charges stem from a motor vehicle stop in Pittsfield on October 23, 2010.

Cases heard before Judge Daniel Ford on Thursday, May 19.


Timothy Kasuba, 28, of Lanesborough had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on two counts of distribution of oxycodone and one count of conspiracy to violate drug laws.

Kasuba was released on personal recognizance. The incidents are alleged to have occurred in Lanesborough between November 1. 2010 and November 25, 2010.

Michael LaPrise, 35, of North Adams had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on one counts of distribution of oxycodone and conspiracy to violate drug laws.

LaPrise was released on personal recognizance. The incidents allegedly occurred in North Adams between November 1, 2010 and November 25, 2010.

Marc Tucker, 32, of North Adams had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on two counts of distribution of marijuana - his second offense - and two counts of drug violation within a school zone.

Tucker was released on personal recognizance. The incidents allegedly occurred in North Adams on November 5, 2010 and November 15, 2010.

Tags: oxycodone, intimidation, assault, marijuana, robbery      

Superior Court Briefs: May 11 - 12

Andy McKeever

Cases heard before Judge Daniel Ford on Wednesday, May 11.

Jean Marie Jones, 41, of Stockbridge pleaded guilty to single counts of distribution of cocaine and conspiracy to violate drug laws.

Jones was placed on two years probation on the condition she remains drug and alcohol free and undergo testing during the period. The incidents occurred on March 6, 2010.

Jessica Page, 32, of North Adams had a not guilty plea entered on her behalf on one count of possession of oxycodone.

Page was released on personal recognizance and the charges originate from the execution of a search warrant at her home on November 6, 2009.

Jena L. Smith, 29, of Pittsfield was found guilty on single counts of distribution of cocaine, drug violation in a school zone and conspiracy to violate drug laws.

Smith will be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction without bail and will be sentenced on Thursday. A jury found that Smith sold and conspired to sell cocaine in Pittsfield on October, 13 2009.

Carolyn Willor, 37, of North Adams had not guilty pleas entered on her behalf on two counts of possession of oxycodone with intent to distribute and one count of conspiracy to violate drug laws.

The charges stem from the execution of a search warrant at her home on November 6, 2009. She was released on personal recognizance.

Francis Willor Sr., 28, of North Adams had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on two counts of possession of oxycodone with intent to distribute and one count of conspiracy to violate drug laws.

Willor was released on personal recognizance. The charges are in connection with the execution of a search warrant at his home on November 6, 2009.

Cases heard before Judge Daniel Ford on Thursday, May 12.

Tia Dewey, 30, of Pittsfield had a not guilty plea entered on her behalf on one count of conspiracy to violate drug laws, to wit: possession of heroin with intent to distribute.

Dewey was released on $500 bail. The charges stem from the execution of a search warrant at the Holiday Inn in North Adams on March 2.

Clifton Stovall
, 29, of Pittsfield had a not guilty plea entered on his behalf for one count of trafficking in cocaine in connection with the execution of a search warrant at his home on Jan. 31.

Stovall was released on $2,500 cash or $25,000 surety bail.

Jie Whiteside, 41, of Pittsfield had a not guilty plea entered on his behalf on one count of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute in connection with an execution of a search warrant at his home on Jan. 31.

Whiteside was released on personal recognizance.

Jena Smith, 29, of Pittsfield was found guilty on single counts of distribution of cocaine, drug violation in a school zone and conspiracy to violate drug laws.

Smith was sentenced to one year at the Berkshire County House of Correction on the distribution of cocaine charge and an additional two years on the school zone charge. The conspiracy charge resulted in two years probation.

A jury found that Smith sold and conspired with others to sell cocaine in Pittsfield on October 13, 2009.

Tags: cocaine, oxycodone      

Superior Court Briefs: May 2 - May 6

Andy McKeever

Cases heard before Judge Daniel Ford on Monday, May 2.

Eric Hall, 24, of North Adams was found guilty for single counts of armed assault with intent to kill and intimidation of a witness and two counts of assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon.

Hall was found not guilty on one count of assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon. He was sentenced to five to seven years at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Cedar Junction. Hall was found guilty of an assault of a 35-year-old man on December 5, 2009 and intimidated a witness on December 6, 2009.

Cases heard before Judge Daniel Ford on Tuesday, May 3.


Jeffrey Baribeault, 42, of North Adams pleaded guilty to single counts of assault and battery and intimidation of a witness.

Single counts of rape and assault with intent to commit rape were dismissed by the state.

He was released on personal recognizance pending sentencing. The incident involved a 39-year-old woman in Adams on July 20, 2009.

Ernest A. Duck, 31, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to a single count of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.

Duck was sentenced to two and a half to three years in state prison. A single count of possession of phencyclidine with intent to distribute - his second offense - was dismissed by the state. The charges followed the execution of a search warrant at the Wagon Wheel Motel in Lenox on October 9, 2009.

Cases heard before Judge Daniel Ford on Wednesday, May 4.

Trevor Clark, 30, of North Adams pleaded guilty to single counts of possession of heroin with intent to distribute, distribution of a butalbital, distribution of oxycodone, drug violation within a drug-free park zone and conspiracy to violate drug laws.

Clark was sentences to serve concurrent one day sentences at the Berkshire County House of Correction on the heroin and conspiracy charges, six month sentences after that on the butalbital and oxycodone charges and two and a half to three years in state prison - to be served after the house of correction sentences - on the park zone charge.

The charges stem from incidents in North Adams between May 8, 2009 and August 18, 2009. A single count of drug violation within a school zone was dismissed by the state.

Nicholas Bondini
, 27, of North Adams had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on five counts of possession of oxycodone with intent to distribute, seven counts of distribution of oxycodone, two counts of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, nine counts of drug violation within a school zone and one count of conspiracy to violate drug laws.

Bondini was released on $750 bail. The incidents alleged to have occurred in Adams and North Adams between November 5, 2010 and November 25, 2010.

Jacob Frusciente
, 19, of Pittsfield had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on single counts of aggravated assault and battery and assault and battery.

Frusciente was ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $500 bail. It is alleged that Frusciente attached another inmate at the house of correction on February 18.

Fred Greer, 37, of Adams had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on two counts of rape.

Greer will be held at the house of corrections on $50,000 bail. The alleged incident occurred on April 2 and the alleged victim is a 55-year-old woman.

Michael Purry, 36, of Pittsfield had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on single counts of conspiracy to violate drug laws and possession of heroin with intent to distribute - his second offense.

Purry was ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $100,000 cash or $1 million surety bond.

The charges stem from the execution of a search warrant at the Holiday Inn in North Adams on March 2.

The investigation was conducted by members of the North Adams, Adams, Pittsfield and Lee Police Departments and state troopers assigned to the District Attorney’s Office, members of the Berkshire County Drug Task Force.

Francis Willor Jr., 38, of North Adams had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on two counts of possession of oxycodone with intent to distribute and a single count of conspiracy to violation drugs laws.

Willor also pleaded not guilty to three counts of assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon and two counts of assault by means of a dangerous weapon. The separate alleged incidents occurred on November 6, 2009 and the latter on March 7.

Willor was ordered to the house of correction on $5,000 cash or $50,000 surety bail.

Cases heard before Judge Daniel Ford on Thursday, May 5.

Charles Best, 27, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to three counts of trafficking in cocaine, two counts of distribution of cocaine - his second offense - two counts of drug violation in a school zone and two counts of conspiracy to violate drug laws.

Single counts of trafficking in cocaine and three counts of distribution of cocaine were dismissed by the state. The incidents occurred between November 2, 2009 and January 28, 2010.

Cases heard before Judge Peter Velis on Friday, May 6.


Patrick O. Flynn, 29, of North Adams pleaded guilty to one count of perjury.

One count of armed assault and intent to murder and three counts of assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon were dismissed by the state.

Flynn lied to police about an assault of a 35-year-old man in North Adams on December 5, 2009.

Mahadi Shadi Thompson, 29, of North Adams pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of cocaine.

Thompson was ordered to serve 49 days at the Berkshire County House of Correction. The charge stems from a sale of cocaine in Pittsfield on October 1, 2008.

Brandon Young, 27, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to single counts of breaking and entering in the nighttime with intent to commit a felony, larceny from a building, threat to commit a crime - murder - and two counts of assault and battery.

Young was sentenced to serve two and a half years at the house of correction on the breaking and entering charge and a one and a half year sentence on the assault and battery charge, which will be served following the first sentence. Young will also serve a concurrent sentence on the threat to commit a crime charge and placed on two years probation n the assault and battery charges. The larceny charge was placed on file.

The charges stem from a break-in at Gould Farm in Monterey on August 12, 2009.

Tags: heroin, rape, assault, oxycodone, cocaine      

Man Threatens To Bomb Pharmacy For Drugs

Andy McKeever

ADAMS, Mass. — An local man threatened to blow up Rite Aide Pharmacy on Saturday if technicians refused to give him narcotics, said police.

Thomas Lee Deherrera, 23, of East Street was arrested and charged with stealing the prescription drugs oxycodone and fentanyl from the Columbia Street pharmacy.

Deherrera allegedly threatened store employees at about 3 p.m. on Saturday; he reportedly had a towel over his face and was wearing blue gloves. He handed pharmacy technicians a note saying he would blow up the pharmacy if he was not given the drugs, police said Monday.

Police called in a search dog from Williamstown but found no explosives. Deherrera was found and arrested while walking along the Hoosic River about a quarter of a mile away.

Deherrera was being held on $25,000 cash bail and was charged with unarmed robbery, larceny from a building, four counts of possession of oxycodone, a Class B substance, and three counts of possession of fentanyl, a Class A substance.

Tags: oxycodone, robbery, bomb threat, fentanyl      

Future of Eagle Street Storefront Unknown After Arrest

Andy McKeever

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — It is unknown what will happen with the Eagle Street Music storefront in the wake of the proprietor's recent arrest.

Matthew D. Berger, who opened the music store last month, was arrested last week on charges of distribution of oxycodone and oxymorphone. The store has been closed since and landlord Eric Rudd said he does not know what will become of it.

"I'm less than happy about the situation. They have a lease and so far have not contacted me," Rudd, who was out of the country when the arrest was made, said in an e-mail Friday.

Berger pleaded not guilty last Tuesday to five charges of distribution of a Class B drug after a Berkshire County Drug Task Force investigation that began last December. He was released on $5,000 cash bail.

Rudd said Berger's father signed a lease for the storefront and on Monday the store was still stocked. The store sold music equipment and accessories and the rear of the space, in the flatirion building, was to be used for private music lessons.

Berger had been on the police radar well before the store's opening. Police said they were tipped off that he was selling prescription drugs, and performed a series of controlled buys as well as watched him at the store. He was arrested inside the shop last Monday.

He also faces possession charges in New York state after New York State troopers said they found a pill grinder and straws containing hydrocodone and oxycodone.

Berger was not available for comment as of Monday.

Tags: Eagle Street, Berger, oxycodone      
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