Pittsfield Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Trafficking
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — A Pittsfield man pleaded guilty on Monday in federal court for conspiring to traffic large quantities of cocaine in Western Massachusetts.
Theodore Warren, also known as "Monty," 42, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and four counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
This carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $2 million. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Oct. 20.
In December 2024, Warren was charged with alleged co-conspirator Lavante Wiggins, a former dean at Pittsfield High School. Three administrators and two teachers, past and present, were investigated by Bulkley Richardson and Gelinas LLP for a range of allegations that surfaced or resurfaced at the end of 2024 after the arrest.
This drew national media attention.
According to the charging documents, Wiggins allegedly operated a drug-trafficking organization that distributed large amounts of cocaine in and around the Pittsfield area. Warren is said to have been a "runner."
"Warren was a trusted member of the DTO [drug-trafficking operation] who served as a runner for Wiggins. According to the charging documents, in August 2024, Wiggins expressed concern that he was under investigation and that he would send Warren to complete drug sales and deliver cocaine on his behalf," the U.S. Attorney's Office wrote in a press release on Tuesday.
"It is alleged that one of Wiggins' customers amassed a debt of more than $34,000 for cocaine that Wiggins provided on credit. Warren and, allegedly, Wiggins went about collecting on that debt while continuing to supply large amounts of cocaine to the customer."
Wiggins allegedly directed Warren to distribute cocaine to the customer on four separate occasions between September and December 2024: approximately 91 grams of cocaine on Sept. 10, 2024; approximately 100 grams of cocaine on Oct. 14, 2024; 125 grams of cocaine on Oct. 31, 2024
U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley and FBI Special Agent Ted E. Docks of the Boston Division made the announcement on Tuesday.
Assistance was provided by the Holyoke, Springfield, Chicopee, West Springfield, Easthampton and Pittsfield Police Departments; Berkshire, Hampden and Franklin County Sheriff's Offices; State Police; and the Berkshire County District Attorney's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil L. Desroches, chief of the Springfield Branch Unit, is prosecuting the case.
The Berkshire Eagle reported in June that Wiggins appeared to be negotiating a plea in his federal cocaine distribution case. That same month, a Berkshire Superior Court judge approved a bank's request to seize Wiggins' 2023 Maserati after he allegedly missed 17 months of payments, leaving a balance of more than $86,000. The final payment that went through came days before his December arrest.
Tags: drug trafficking, US Court,
