NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Police seized an estimated $32,000 worth of heroin from a Union Street home on Tuesday.
Authorities arrested Christopher Therrien and charged him with trafficking in heroin following the raid at 440 Union Street.
The Berkshire County Drug Task Force, state police, and the Berkshire Community Action Team executed the search warrant at 7:11 p.m. on Tuesday. In the search 98 grams of heroin was seized with an estimated street value of $32,000. Police also found $1,622 in cash.
The warrant was based on an investigation of narcotics distribution from the home.
Firefighters at the scene of a fire at a single-family off Grove Street.
ADAMS, Mass. — The Adams Fire Department quickly knocked down a grease fire on Grove Avenue on Tuesday afternoon.
Assistant Fire Chief John Pansecchi said the fire started out on the first-floor kitchen when the resident was cooking french fries and hurt his hand.
He said the homeowner was able to contain the fire with a garden hose until Adams Fire rolled in.
"They took a hose to the window and sprayed it down quickly before we got here," Pansecchi said. "It was still burning when we got in there but they were able knock it down and keep it in check."
The fire, reported about 1:40 p.m., initially was reported over the scanner as a two-alarm blaze. North Adams was asked to send a ladder truck to the scene, and Savoy and Cheshire fire departments were called in. North Adams Ambulance Service was requested to send the rehab vehicle.
"It was just in case," Pansecchi said. "We didn't know if it was going up the walls and into the attic and we didn't know if we would need a ladder."
Adams Police and Adams Ambulance were also at the scene. There were no injuries except for a firefighter who needed aid after working the scene in the 90-degree temperatures.
North Adams Ambulance handed out water and provided aid to the firefighters.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A Williamstown woman is being charged with negligent driving after crashing into the fence outside the North Adams Ambulance Service on River Street.
According to the police log, Gail Massari, 50, was eastbound in a 2001 Pontiac Grand Am when it crossed the middle line and slammed into the decorative fence and flagpole at the edge of the service's parking lot at the corner of River and Harris streets shortly after noon on Saturday.
The pole was bent over and at least two sections of the fence are crumpled. Police and fire responded to the incident but no one was injured. Another vehicle, a 2009 Toyota Camry, was also damaged.
Amalio Jusino, assistant manager of the ambulance service, said the woman was driving down Massachusetts Avenue when she crossed lanes and crashed into the fencing, causing damage.
"She stated she was petting her dog and was not able to navigate the corner and struck our flag pole and fence and damaged one vehicle," Jusino said.
The Pontiac was towed by Cariddi Auto. Massari was summonsed with charges of negligent operation of a motor vehicle and a marked lanes violation.
Cases heard before Judge Daniel Ford on Monday, August 10.
Matthew Guillou, 27, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to single counts of possession of heroin and possession of Oxycontin in connection with a drug transaction on May 20, 2014. He pleaded guilty to single counts of conspiracy to violate drug laws to wit: possession of heroin with intent to distribute, and conspiracy to violate drug laws to wit: possession of cocaine with intent to distribute in connection with conspiring to sell cocaine and heroin in Pittsfield between January 1, 2015 and February 13, 2015.
He was ordered to serve three to four years in state prison on the conspiracy charges. He was given concurrent one-day sentences at the Berkshire County House of Correction on the others.
Cases heard before Judge Daniel Ford on Thursday, August 13.
Jeffrey Hall, 27, of North Adams had a not guilty plea entered on his behalf on a single count of possession of heroin with intent to distribute.
He was ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $25,000 cash or $250,000 surety bail. The charges stem from the execution of a search warrant at his home on June 11, 2015.
Eric Moore, 30, of Pittsfield had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on single counts of trafficking in cocaine, possession of heroin with intent to distribute - his second offense - conspiracy to violate drug laws to wit: trafficking in cocaine, armed career felon, possession of firearm during the commission of a felony, and improper storage of a firearm.
He was ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $35,000 bail. The charges stem from the execution of a search warrant at his home on July 17, 2015.
Deng Vilayvanh, 25, of Pittsfield had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on single counts of conspiracy to violate drug laws to wit: trafficking in cocaine, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, illegal ownership of a firearm, possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number, possession of ammunition without a firearm identification card, improper storage of a firearm, and possession of cocaine.
He was ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $5,000 bail. The charges stem from the execution of a search warrant at his home on July 17, 2015.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A North Adams woman was ordered to pay $72,635 back to the federal Social Security Agency after being convicted of fraudulently obtaining Social Security disability benefits.
Nancy Killackey, 57, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark Mastroianni on Monday to 18 months of probation and to pay the more than $70,000 in restitution.
Killackey received the money from the agency by intentionally concealing the wages her husband earned. She collected the money from Jan. 1, 2002 through Oct. 1, 2013.
On July 21, 2011, she told federal agents that the man was not her husband. When asked why he had claimed they were married, she described him as "a big, fat liar" and "an idiot off his medication," federal authorities said. She then claimed that the date her husband listed as their wedding date was actually a date he had a heart attack.
Killackey was found to have received the benefits that she was ineligible for when prosecuted in U.S. Federal Court in Springfield.
Edited at 12:37p.m., Aug. 13, to clarify the benefits were for disability.
We show up at hurricanes, budget meetings, high school games, accidents, fires and community events. We show up at celebrations and tragedies and everything in between. We show up so our readers can learn about pivotal events that affect their communities and their lives.
How important is local news to you? You can support independent, unbiased journalism and help iBerkshires grow for as a little as the cost of a cup of coffee a week.
Firefighters at the scene of a fire at a single-family off Grove Street.
