Pittsfield Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Trafficking

Staff reports11:54AM / Wednesday, July 22, 2026Print Story | Email Story

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,

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West Nile Virus Confirmed in Mosquitoes From Pittsfield

Staff Reports 02:51PM / Friday, August 14, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) announced today that West Nile virus (WNV) has been detected in mosquitoes collected from Pittsfield.

The City of Pittsfield has confirmed two isolations at the Pittsfield-Richmond town line on Route 41 and the other at Garland Avenue.

WNV is most commonly transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. The mosquitoes that carry this virus are common throughout the state and are found in urban as well as more rural areas. While WNV can infect people of all ages, people over the age of 50 are at higher risk for severe infection.

At the time, there are no confirmed human cases of WNV, but residents are encouraged to take the following actions:

Avoid Mosquito Bites

Apply Insect Repellent when you go outdoors. Use a repellent with DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide), permethrin, picaridin (KBR 3023), IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus [p-methane 3, 8-diol (PMD)] according to the instructions on the product label. DEET products should not be used on infants under two months of age and should be used in concentrations of 30 percent or less on older children. Oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under three years of age. Permethrin products are intended for use on items such as clothing, shoes, bed nets and camping gear and should not be applied to skin.
Clothing Can Help reduce mosquito bites. Although it may be difficult to do when it’s hot, wearing long-sleeves, long pants and socks when outdoors will help keep mosquitoes away from your skin.
Be Aware of Peak Mosquito Hours - The hours from dusk to dawn are peak biting times for many mosquitoes. When risk is increased, consider rescheduling outdoor activities that occur during evening or early morning. If you are outdoors at any time and notice mosquitoes around you, take steps to avoid being bitten by moving indoors, covering up and/or wearing repellant.

Mosquito-Proof Your Home

Drain Standing Water – Many mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. Limit the number of places around your home for mosquitoes to breed by either draining or getting rid of items that hold water. Check rain gutters and drains. Empty any unused flowerpots and wading pools and change water in birdbaths frequently.
Install or Repair Screens - Some mosquitoes like to come indoors. Keep them outside by having tightly-fitting screens on all your windows and doors.

While the City of Pittsfield and Berkshire County Mosquito Control project continue to work closely with the MDPH and other agencies, locally we are taking the following actions: larvicide application, conducting targeted education programs, distribution of fact sheets on WNV and on reducing exposure to mosquitos and treating catch basins.

Additional information about WNV and reports on current and historical WNV virus activity in Massachusetts can be found on the MDPH website at: www.mass.gov/dph/mosquito.

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