Pittsfield Dealership Surrenders License After Forgery Accusation

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A local car dealership has surrendered its license after being accused of forgery for the second time in two years.

Licensing Board Chairman Thomas Campoli reported Monday that D&K Affordable Motors had opted to surrender its dealership license rather than re-appear before the board with documentation supporting a claim of identity fraud.

A show cause hearing for the dealership in March on accusations it had tried to register another dealership under the same license had been continued to this date. The board requested banking documents and records from the two involved parties: manager Kaitlyn Rathbun and her employee and partner Devon Fitts.

They had tried to say someone may have stolen their information to set up the dealership.

Earlier this month, the attorney who represented Rathbun and Fitts at the hearing notified the board that he will no longer be representing them and just a few days later, the license was surrendered.

"At that hearing we heard a fraudulent alteration with D&K's license that was illegally used to obtain [federal Paycheck Protection Program] funding for a non-existent automobile dealership managed by Devon Fitts, that's what the documents said, that same altered license that was fraudulently altered was submitted to AuctionACCESS,” Campoli said.

"At that hearing, [Pittsfield Police Sgt. Marc Maddalena] testified before the Pittsfield Licensing Board, and the licensee of D&K was represented by counsel, attorney William Martin, who raised the specter that Mr. Fitts may have been the victim of identity fraud.

"There was no substantive evidence that was put before the board to verify that. However, we gave the licensee the opportunity to come back to see us today."

Campoli said Martin emailed the board on April 11 that he no longer represented D&K and on April 14, Rathbun surrendered the license. 

D&K Affordable Motors had a Class 2 license with the number 297 for its premises at 48 Dalton Ave. issued in 2020. As it appears, Fitts submitted the same license to AuctionACCESS — an online credentialing system for dealers — for Young's Auto Sales at 111 W Housatonic St., which is a vacant lot.

Fitts also applied for and received $19,700 in PPP loans for being the sole proprietor of a dealership at 111 W Housatonic St., the same address of the business that attempted to register with D&K's valid license.

Both situations were attributed to identity fraud after Fitts reportedly had his wallet and other documents stolen.

The situation was investigated by the Pittsfield Police before the hearing and they did not believe it was a matter of identity theft. 

Maddalena was under the impression that obtaining a new license under a new dealership would allow D&K to have a clean history so they are able to visit auction sites to purchase vehicles after having financial difficulties.

He added that in 24 years on the job he has not seen identity theft used to open a car dealership, as it is usually for cashing checks and opening accounts.

The case has been sent to the attorney general for further investigation.

In other news, a new gaming center called Boosted Lounge was granted a seasonal wine and malt on-premise liquor license for its facility in the Allendale Shopping Center.

Dalton Board Signs Off on Land Sale Over Residents' Objections

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:50AM / Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Residents demanded the right to speak but the agenda did not include public comment. Amy Musante holds a sign saying the town now as '$20,000 less for a police station.'

DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board signed the sale on the last of what had been known as the Bardin property Monday even as a handful of residents demanded the right to speak against the action. 

 

The quitclaim deed transfers the nine acres to Thomas and Esther Balardini, who purchased the two other parcels in Dalton. They were the third-highest bidders at $31,500. Despite this, the board awarded them the land in an effort to keep the property intact.

 

"It's going to be an ongoing battle but one I think that has to be fought [because of] the disregard for the taxpayers," said Dicken Crane, the high bidder at $51,510.

 

"If it was personal I would let it go, but this affects everyone and backing down is not in my nature." 

 

Crane had appealed to the board to accept his bid during two previous meetings. He and others opposed to accepting the lower bid say it cost the town $20,000. After the meeting, Crane said he will be filing a lawsuit and has a citizen's petition for the next town meeting with over 100 signatures. 

 

Three members of the board — Chair Robert Bishop Jr., John Boyle, and Marc Strout — attended the 10-minute meeting. Members Anthony Pagliarulo and Daniel Esko previously expressed their disapproval of the sale to the Balardinis. 

 

Pagliarulo voted against the sale but did sign the purchase-and-sale agreement earlier this month. His reasoning was the explanation by the town attorney during an executive session that, unlike procurement, where the board is required to accept the lowest bid for services, it does have some discretion when it comes to accepting bids in this instance.