Cases heard before Judge John Agostini on Monday, July 20.
Sasha Santiago, 25, of Springfield had not guilty pleas entered on her behalf on single counts of conspiracy to violate drug laws to wit: trafficking in heroin, and conspiracy to violate drug laws to wit: trafficking in cocaine.
He was released on the same $15,000 bail which was set when she was previously arraigned. Santiago is accused of selling cocaine and heroin in Berkshire County between January 20, 2015 and March 6, 2015.
Cases heard before Judge John Agostini on Tuesday, July 21.
Brandon Phillips, 29, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to single counts of distribution of cocaine, and conspiracy to violate drug laws.
He was given concurrent one-year suspended sentences at the Berkshire County House of Correction. The incidents occurred in Pittsfield on June 29, 2011.
Marcel Teixeira-Ingram, 19, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to a single count of larceny over $250.
He was ordered to serve two years at the Berkshire County House of Correction. The charge stems from an incident in Pittsfield on August 20, 2014.
Cases heard before Judge John Agostini on Wednesday, July 22.
Nicholas Konton, 24, of Pittsfield had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on three counts of drug violation in a school zone, two counts of distribution of heroin - his second offense - and single counts of possession of heroin with intent to distribute, and conspiracy to violate drug laws.
He was ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $15,000 bail. The charge stems from an arrest in Pittsfield on June 8, 2015.
Christopher Lafrance, 25, of Williamstown pleaded guilty to 21 counts of possession of a large capacity feeding device, and single counts of carrying a firearm on school grounds, carrying a firearm while intoxicated, resisting arrest, and disturbing the peace.
Lafrance carried a gun on campus at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams on October 28, 2014. All charges were continued without a finding.
Christopher Root, 40, of Pittsfield had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on two counts of rape and abuse of a child, and indecent assault and battery on a person who has attained age 14.
He was ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $100,000 cash or $1 million surety bail. The charges stem from alleged incidents in Pittsfield between August 1, 2014 and December 9, 2014. The alleged victim is now 16 years old.
Nathan Tatro, 42, of North Adams had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on three counts of assault and battery on a family or household member, two counts of strangulation or suffocation, and single counts of kidnapping, intimidation of a witness, and malicious damage to a motor vehicle.
He was ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction without bail. The charges stem from alleged incidents involving a 40-year-old woman between December 8, 2014 and May 17, 2015.
Bryan Arce, 29, of Great Barrington pleaded guilty to single counts of possession of heroin with intent to distribute, and conspiracy to violate drug laws to wit: possession of heroin with intent to distribute.
He was ordered to serve one year of an 18-month sentence at the Berkshire County House of Correction and placed on one-year probation.
The charges stem from a motor vehicle stop in Great Barrington on October 1, 2014.
Daniel Burgos, 45, of Indian Orchard had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on single counts of conspiracy to violate drug laws to wit: trafficking in cocaine, and trafficking in cocaine.
He was ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $10,000 bail. Burgos is accused of conspiring with others to sell cocaine and selling cocaine in Berkshire County between November 20, 2014 and December 9, 2014.
Felix Mateo, 31, of West Springfield had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on single counts of trafficking in heroin, trafficking in cocaine, and conspiracy to violate drug laws to wit: trafficking in cocaine.
Bail was set at $100 but is he is already being held on on other charges in Hampden County. Mateo is accused of conspiring with others and selling cocaine and heroin in Berkshire County between December 9, 2014 and April 9, 2015.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Police are looking for man suspected of robbing Whitney's Beverage Shop and injuring an employee on Wednesday.
According to police, a man entered the stored armed with a folding knife and demanded money from the clerk. At some point, a physical altercation ensued between the clerk and the suspect, during which the suspect slashed the clerk with the knife. The suspect fled the establishment, last seen heading southbound from the Oasis Plaza.
The shop reported the robbery at 12:57 p.m. Police have not released information on what, if anything, had been stolen.
The suspect is described as a white male in his mid 20s, standing approximately 5-foot-6, with brown hair, and wearing a blue T-shirt and blue jeans.
This is an active and ongoing investigation that will continue until the suspect is identified and apprehended. If anyone has any information regarding this incident, please contact the North Adams Police Department at 413-664-4944, Ext. 1, or leave a private message on the department's Facebook page.
"Despite the extensive efforts of the many investigators from various agencies working together, we are still stymied by a lack of cooperation from people whom we believe have information vital to determining who was involved and what their motives were," reads a statement from District Attorney David Capeless released on Wednesday.
"Multiple shooters were involved and five people were wounded, one fatally. Gunplay and street violence are abhorrent to any community, but silence is their ally. Please help us, and help the Pittsfield community,"
Capeless's office has been mum on releasing details about the shooting during the investigation. In Wednesday's statement, however, the office did release some new information regarding the incidents.
That night there were two shootings in the area. Shortly before 11 p.m., a drive-by shooting occurred on Robbins Avenue. A group of individuals were gathered outside of a home there and three of them — two men and one woman — were wounded.
Soon after, a second shooting occurred in a vacant lot on Linden Street, just around the corner from the drive-by shooting. In that incident, multiple shots were fired and Ronald Pinel, 25, of Pittsfield, was killed. Two others were wounded, one of whom had already been wounded in the earlier incident.
Police say they recovered two handguns and "multiple items of ballistic and other forensic evidence." But after interviewing more than 50 people, they have received little cooperation and information.
"The investigative efforts of both the Pittsfield Police and the Massachusetts State Police have been extensive in working these cases. However, those efforts are hampered when residents have information that they are unwilling to share with investigators," Police Chief Michael Wynn said in a statement.
"The most efficient tool that we have to increase neighborhood safety is to remove violent offenders from neighborhoods. We rely on the community to assist us in those efforts, and encourage anyone with any information related to either of these incidents to contact investigators."
The district attorney's office is again asking anyone with information to contact the Police Department's detective bureau at 413-448-9705.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Police are investigating a death at the McKay Street parking garage but little information has been released.
iBerkshires.com has confirmed with police that there is a "death investigation" at the garage.
A spokesman from the district attorney's office said police are still in the initial phases of investigation and no information is being released at this moment.
This is the second fatal incident to be investigated at the garage in the last year.
In September, an elderly man from Lee was found injured at the bottom of a staircase at the garage and later died.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Two men will be arraigned Monday in Central Berkshire District Court following an early morning raid on Friday.
Eric Moore, 29, of 237 Dewey Ave. and Deng J. Vilayvanh, 25, of Suffield Street in Worcester are facing drug and firearms charges.
A third man, Darian N. Chambers, 21, also of 237 Dewey, was arrested and charged with possession of a stun gun. He was released on personal recognizance.
Police executed a search warrant at 237 Dewey at about 7 a.m. on Friday morning. Police say they found cocaine, heroin and firearms.
Moore is being charged with single counts of trafficking in cocaine, possession of heroin with intent to distribute (2nd offense), conspiracy to violate drug laws, being an armed career criminal, commission of a felony while armed and improper storage of a firearm with access to a minor.
He is being held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $100,000 bail.
Vilayvanh is being charged with single counts of commission of a felony while armed, unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number during the commission of a felony, improper storage of a firearm with access to a minor, manufacturing cocaine, possession of cocaine and conspiracy to violate drug laws.
He is being held on $20,000 bail at the Berkshire County House of Correction.
Moore and Vilayvanh are scheduled to appear in Central Berkshire District Court at 9 a.m. on Monday for arraignment. Chambers has been summonsed to appear in court at a later date.
The house is not far from the corner of Linden Street, where a local man was shot to death on July 4. The incident also injured four other people. No one has yet been charged in that shooting.
In the wake of the shooting, police have stepped up patrols in the Westside neighborhood.
The investigation is being conducted by members of the Pittsfield, Dalton and Adams police departments, the Berkshire County sheriff's office and state troopers assigned to the district attorney's office, members of the Berkshire Law Enforcement Task Force.
We show up at hurricanes, budget meetings, high school games, accidents, fires and community events. We show up at celebrations and tragedies and everything in between. We show up so our readers can learn about pivotal events that affect their communities and their lives.
How important is local news to you? You can support independent, unbiased journalism and help iBerkshires grow for as a little as the cost of a cup of coffee a week.
(2).jpg)
Robbins Avenue was the location of a drive-by shooting that wounded three people.
