North Adams Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm, Drug Charges

Staff Reports Print Story | Email Story
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — On Wednesday, April 5 John Bump, Jr., of North Adams, pleaded guilty to Illegal Possession of a Firearm, Possession with the Intent to Distribute Heroin and Possession of Ammunition.  
 
The charge of Illegal Possession of a Large Capacity Feeding Device was dismissed by the Commonwealth after acceptance of the plea. 
 
According to a statement from the District Attorney's Office, in March of 2023, Det. Joshua Zustra, of the North Adams Police Department, and members of the North Adams and Adams Police departments were conducting a drug investigation of the defendant and his home in North Adams. On March 9, 2023, they observed the 31-year-old defendant leave the home with a back-pack and get into an awaiting car. 
 
Pursuant to a search warrant, Det. Zustra stopped the car and removed Bump.  A search of his person yielded $740 in cash, and 70 wax baggies that contained heroin.  Detective Zustra searched the backpack that the defendant carried from the home and discovered a Ruger 9mm handgun, a magazine that contained 14 rounds of ammunition, 300 wax baggies that contained heroin and an additional $10, $290 in cash. 
 
In determining the sentence, the Commonwealth conferred with the arresting officers and members of the Berkshire Count House of Corrections. The defendant was sentenced to a total on 3.5 years at the Berkshire County House of Correction (1 year on the Possession with Intent to Distribute of Class A and 2.5 years from and after on the Possession of a Firearm without and FID card), and ordered to complete the in-custody drug treatment program at the Berkshire County House of Correction.  Upon his release, the Defendant must complete two years of probation with conditions that included continued drug treatment and counseling, no drugs with random screens and possess no weapons.
 
1st Assistant Marianne Shelvey represented the Commonwealth. The North Adams Police Department and the Adams Police Department investigated the case. The Berkshire County Sheriff's Department supported in sentencing determinations.

Tags: district attorney,   drugs,   guns,   

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Winter Storm Warning Issued for Berkshires

Another snowstorm is expected to move through the region overnight on Friday, bringing 5 to 8 inches of snow. This is updated from Thursday's winter weather advisory. 
 
The National Weather Service in Albany, N.Y., has posted a winter storm warning for all of Berkshire County and parts of eastern New York State beginning Friday at 4 p.m. through Saturday at 1 p.m. 
 
The region could see heavy to moderate snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour overnight, tapering off Saturday morning to flurries.
 
Drivers should exercise caution on Friday night and Saturday morning, as travel conditions may be hazardous.
 
Saturday night should be clear and calm, but warming temperatures means freezing rain Sunday night and rain through Monday with highs in the 40s. The forecast isn't much better through the week as temperatures dip back into the teens with New Year's Eve looking cloudy and frigid. 
View Full Story

More North Adams Stories