Two Men Sentenced To State Prison For 2010 MCLA Robbery

Staff Reports 04:32PM / Wednesday January 11, 2012

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Two men were sentenced to state prison for armed robbery at one of the Townhouse dormitories on the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts campus in December of 2010.

Joshua Jadusingh, 19, and Charlton Goodson, 29, both of North Adams pleaded guilty in Berkshire Superior Court on Wednesday to two counts of armed robbery and single counts of conspiracy to commit armed home invasion. Judge Daniel Ford sentenced the two men to two to three years at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Cedar Junction and placed the men on three years probation.

An additional charge of armed home invasion was dismissed by the state.

At about 6:30 p.m. on December 14, 2010 Jadusingh and Goodson committed the armed robbery at one of the on-campus student apartments. About a month later, North Adams Police, members of the state police Violent Fugitive Apprehension section, Crime Scene Services and the Berkshire County Drug Task Force arrested four suspects for the crime after executing a search warrant at 3 Secor Ave. and 105 West Main Street in North Adams.

Three of those suspects were juveniles whose names were not released and police suggested that more arrests would be on their way.

Woman Arrested After Fleeing Scene Of Three-Car Crash

By Andy McKeeveriBerkshires Staff
03:04PM / Tuesday January 10, 2012

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — An Adams woman was arrested after fleeing the scene of a three-car crash on Main Street on Tuesday.

According to police, Michelle Bard, 46, of Adams was charged with driving under the influence, negligent operation of a motor vehicle and leaving the scene of property damage.

According to a witness on the scene, a van and a gold sedan stopped for a pedestrian crossing Ashland Street shortly after noon. A Subaru, allegedly driven by Bard, rear-ended the sedan at "a high rate of speed."

The driver of the Subaru then put the car in reverse and "ripped the sedan apart" trying to get away. The driver then sped away down Main Street, the witness said.

An employee at Boxcar Media, who saw the accident, provided police with a description of the car and license plate number.

According to police, the vehicle was found with "heavy front-end damage" in the parking lot behind 85 Main St. shortly after and Bard was arrested.

The driver of the sedan was taken to the hospital for minor injuries, police said. No further information was immediately available.

Superior Court Briefs: January 4 - January 5

Staff Reports 05:08PM / Friday January 06, 2012

Cases heard before Judge Daniel Ford on Wednesday, January 4

Nichole Belanger, 23, of Clarksburg had not guilty pleas entered on her behalf on single counts of possession of heroin with intent to distribute, drug violation in a school zone and conspiracy to violate drug laws.

Belanger was released on $250 cash or $2,500 surety bail. The charges stem from a motor vehicle stop in Lee on November 9, 2011.

Holly Moran, 25, of Pittsfield had not guilty pleas entered on her behalf on single counts of possession of heroin with intent to distribute, drug violation in a school zone, conspiracy to violate drug laws, operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license and operating a motor vehicle without an inspection sticker.

Moran was released on $1,000 cash or $10,000 surety bail. The charges stem from a motor vehicle stop in Lee on November 9, 2011.

Jerald Sullivan, 55, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to a single count of rape.

Sullivan was sentenced to five to eight years in prison at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Cedar Junction. Sullivan sexually assaulted a 69-year-old woman in Pittsfield on January 21, 2011.

Cases heard before Judge Daniel Ford on Thursday, January 5

Kaja Wright, 33, of Cheshire had not guilty pleas entered on her behalf on single counts of trafficking in cocaine and conspiracy to violate drug laws.

Wright was ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $25,000 cash or $250,000 surety bail. The charges stem from the execution of a search warrant at 169 Pecks Road in Pittsfield on December 14, 2011.

Benjamin Willsea, 29, of Rochester, N.Y. had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on a single count of rape.

Willsea was released on personal recognizance. Willsea allegedly sexually assaulted an 18-year-old woman in Stockbridge on July 24, 2011.

Mandi Slick, 28, of North Adams had a not guilty plea entered on her behalf on a single count of receiving stolen property over $250.

It is alleged that Slick was in possession of stolen property in Adams between April 1, 2011 and September 1, 2011.

Lawrence Miller, 36, of Hampton, Va. had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on single counts of trafficking in cocaine, conspiracy to violate drug laws and furnishing a false name to a police officer.

Miller was ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $250,000 cash or $2.5 million surety bail. The charges stem from the execution of a search warrant at 169 Pecks Road in Pittsfield on December 14, 2011.

No Charges For Lanesborough Officer Who Shot Man

Staff Reports 03:42PM / Friday January 06, 2012

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Police Officer Timothy Sorrell will not face criminal charges after shooting a knife-wielding man on Silver Street in September.

District Attorney David Capeless said on Friday that an investigation has been complete and no criminal charges are warranted against Sorrell.

Sorrell shot 45-year-old Keith Carnute on Silver Street after Carnute allegedly went after him with a knife. Police were initially called to the scene after two women reported a body in the road. Upon arrival Sorrell and firefighters found Carnute on the side of the road. Sorrell then shot Carnute once in the chest when Carnute allegedly went after the officer.

Carnute was taken to Berkshire Medical Center and underwent emergency surgery as a result of the shooting.

Capeless did not comment further on the investigation that was conducted by state Police Sgt. Christopher Meiklejon and a member of the investigative unit assigned to Capeless' office.

Massive Fire Devours Lee Lumber Yard

By Andy McKeeveriBerkshires Staff
10:18PM / Tuesday January 03, 2012

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Krause

Firefighters from all over the county helped to extinguish the fire.

LEE, Mass. — A massive structure fire on Railroad Street gutted a building at the century-old Dresser-Hull lumber yard on Tuesday night as nearly 70 firefighters battled the blaze in icy conditions.

The blaze began sometime before 8 p.m., consuming one of the main storage buildings in a huge ball of fire and sending smoke pluming over the town. It took nearly two hours to bring it under control.

Fire Chief Alan Sparks said it was not yet known how the fire began. He confirmed there were six or seven trucks inside the building and several explosions as the vehicles caught fire.

"There was a lot plywood, Sheetrock, different building materials," he said. "I'd say right now they were destroyed."

Firefighters from Lenox, Monterey, Dalton, Lanesborough, Great Barrington and Stockbridge were among those at the scene.

Battling the blaze was complicated by frigid conditions and icy surfaces. Firefighters were still putting out hotspots at 10 p.m. and expected to be on the scene all night.

"It's a windy night and a very cold night," Sparks said, adding the wind hampered the containment by fueling the blaze.

Main Street, Route 20, in Lee was closed for hours and traffic detoured. The Department of Public Works sent out sanders as streets around the blaze iced up because of the water from the hoses.

Dresser-Hull has been owned by the Shields family for more than a half-century at 60 Railroad St. It offers a variety of lumber and home improvement supplies and kitchen design center. It's website lists three boom trucks, three box trucks and a number of forklifts and flatbeds for delivery use.

Here are more photos from the scene.