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.