Man Pleads Guilty To St. Joseph's Church Door Burning

Staff Reports 10:31AM / Tuesday, April 04, 2023Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — On Monday, April 3, Michael Innis pleaded guilty to Burn Building and Destruction of Place of Worship in Berkshire Superior Court.

Judge Flannery sentenced Innis to 2.5-3.5 years in state prison. The Commonwealth recommended 3 to 4 years in state prison. The defense recommended 2.5 years in the House of Corrections.

On August 4, 2021, Michael Innis, who was 53 at the time, and a second defendant were discovered to have set fire to the south facing door of St. Joseph's Church. Damage caused by the fire was estimated to be over $10,000.

The second defendant's case is pending.

Pittsfield Police investigated the crime. Assistant District Attorney Joseph Yorlano represented the Commonwealth. Tara Jones-Nutting served as the Victim Witness Advocate.

Tags: fire, superior court,

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Neal's Office Among Those Targeted by Suspicious Mailings

Staff Reports12:28PM / Wednesday, October 21, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — U.S. Rep. Richard Neal was among congressmen apparently targeted by someone mailing suspicious envelopes.

According to a report in The Berkshire Eagle, an envelope containing a powdery substance was discovered by postal inspectors before reaching Neal's Pittsfield office in the Silvio O. Conte Federal Building.

Nearly 40 members of Congress have received envelopes containing white powder, according to The Guardian. More than 100 letters are thought to be in the U.S. mail system and the FBI, Capitol Police and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service were investigating the mailings that have also been sent to elections officials in various states.

The mailings have been sent to both Republican and Democrat officeholders and several congressional district offices had to be evacuated in the last week or so after envelopes were opened in them.

Earlier today, my Bronx district office received an envelope delivered by mail that contained a suspicious substance. Local law enforcement responded swiftly and, after investigating, determined the substance to be non-hazardous.
— Rep. Ritchie Torres (@repritchie.bsky.social) October 16, 2026 at 3:10 PM

The Guardian reported that the FBI is warning officials to look for envelopes processed through a north Texas center and that carry a postmark or stamp stating "Thinking of You."

The Eagle states that Neal's office was alerted on Saturday that it might be getting a suspicious package; inspectors seized the envelope at the Fenn Street post office on Monday.

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