Pittsfield Dentist Named Among '10 Under Ten'

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Dr. Neha Das, a pediatric dentist, practicing in Pittsfield, has been recognized by the Massachusetts Dental Society (MDS) as one of the  "10 Under Ten" for 2022. 
 
Established in 2005 by the MDS, the annual recognition highlights the diversity of new dentists in Massachusetts and their impact on the dental profession. 
 
To qualify, dentists must have graduated from dental school within the past ten years, be an MDS member, and made significant contributions to the profession, their community, and organized dentistry. 
 
"When I was a junior in college, I went back to my parents' hometown in India to do some volunteer work in a medical van; however, when I got there, I found out the physician I was supposed to be shadowing was out on maternity leave. They put me in a dental van instead, and I was fascinated. I loved the combination of science and art, and there was a true sense of grati­fication whenever we could help someone. When I got back home, I knew my plans had changed. I didn't want to be a physician anymore—I was going to become a dentist," Dr. Das said.
 
An At-Large Trustee with the MDS, Dr. Das is inspired by the work of the dentists active in the society and dedicated to the profession.
 
Currently, a resident of Lenox, Dr. Das earned her Doctor of Dental Science (DDS) and did her residency in pediatric dentistry at the University of California in San Francisco. She credits her husband and her colleague dental practice owner Dr. Lisa Gamache with helping her maintain a healthy work-life balance.
 
The dentists are featured in the Spring 2022 issue of the Journal of the Massachusetts Dental Society, and they were honored earlier this year at Yankee Dental Congress 2022. Yankee is New England's largest dental meeting and is presented by the MDS in cooperation with the dental societies of Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

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Two Men Found Guilty of Marijuana Trafficking

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — On Monday, May 6, Yebin Mai, 32 of Staten Island, NY and Dem Wu, age 52 of Staten Island, NY, were found guilty by jury of their peers in Berkshire Superior Court.
 
Yebin Mai was found guilty of two charges: Marijuana Trafficking in 100 pounds or more but less than 2,000 pounds and Witness Intimidation. Dem Wu was found guilty of Marijuana Trafficking in 100 pounds or more but less than 2,000 pounds.
 
According to a report, on July 30, 2020, State Police responded to a request for assistance from the Eversource Electric Company. The emergency dispatcher stated that two Eversource linemen were attempting to fix an electrical problem when they had a confrontation with individuals at 72 Jackson Road, Savoy. The residence belonged to Bin Huang after he purchased it in 2017 for $200,000 cash.
 
When state troopers arrived, the linemen stated that they responded to a report from a resident at 72 Jackson Road, Savoy claiming that power was fluctuating. When the linemen arrived at the house, they observed severely damaged wires and insulators leading from the roadside poles to the residence. When the Eversource linemen approached the house a man came out to meet them. The man, later identified as Yebin Mai, spoke limited English; therefore, communication between the Eversource linemen and resident became difficult. The linemen tried to explain that they would need to turn the power off to conduct a safety check of the electric meter and surrounding electrical connections. Mai became agitated. He handed the linemen an envelope filled with money later determined to be $600. The linemen attempted to return the envelope multiple times, but Mai would not take it. The linemen decided to leave the property. They called the police and waited for them to arrive, stated a report.
 
A trooper and Eversource supervisor arrived on the road at the end of 72 Jackson Road's driveway. A short time later, Mai drove down the driveway and attempted to leave in a pick-up truck with New York plates. There were two other passengers in the truck, including Dem Wu.
 
The trooper instructed Mai to stop and turn off the truck which he obeyed. All the individuals returned to the residence so the linemen could complete their inspection.
 
In a police report, the following items were observed at and around the house:
  • 4 separate electrical meters in poorly constructed boxes on the side of the house
  • Some melted wires and metal around the meter boxes (believed to be due to an excessive amount of energy being drawn through the wires)
  • Evidence of a small fire around one of the meter boxes
  • A smell of fresh grown marijuana (which grew once power was cut to the house and fans in the residence stopped running)
  • The sound of multiple fans inside the residence with no visible air ventilation system on the outside of the house
  • Windows with curtains drawn and boarded shut
  • A backyard covered in debris from a renovation, green planning pots, and large florescent light fixtures
  • Ring door cameras
  • A small path in the woods that ended in a pile of used potting soil and roots and stalks of freshly harvested marijuana plants

Additionally, Eversource reported that the monthly electric bill for 72 Jackson Road was approximately $10,000 per month, much higher than the average homeowner's bill.

The individuals on the property were questioned and ultimately allowed to leave. On July 31, 2020, Massachusetts State Police, including the State Police Detective Unit assigned to the District Attorney's Office, and a member of the DEA arrived at 72 Jackson Road to execute a search warrant. 
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