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Pittsfield Police Asking Residents To ID Stolen Property

By Andy McKeeveriBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Police have recovered hundreds of pieces of jewelry and other items that are not matching up with their records of items reported stolen in a recent rash of break-ins.

Anyone who has had their home broken into prior to March 22 is being asked to identify their possessions at an open house on Saturday, June 8, from 10 to 2 at the Police Department on Allen Street.

Police say the items either haven't been reported stolen or were stolen from homes outside of city. The investigation is being done by state, Cheshire, Lanesborough and Pittsfield police. Some of the recovered property has already be linked to break-ins in those communities and in Richmond.

Police have arrested Christopher Maschino Jr., 21, and Anne Haughey, 21, both of Pittsfield, in connection with the break-ins.

Even if the owners of the seized property can identify it, they cannot take possession of their items immediately because they are being held as evidence until released by the district attorney's office.

Attendees are required to bring a valid identification to the open house and are asked to bring any ownership documents.

     

Police Investigating Shooting in Clarksburg

Staff ReportsiBerkshires

CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Police are investigating an alleged shooting Friday night that sent one person to the hospital.

Law enforcement officials are tight-lipped about the incident although it reportedly occured during an altercation in the town.

Police Chief Michael Williams referred all inquiries to the district attorney's office; Fred Lantz, spokesman for the DA's office, said the incident is currently under investigation.

Lantz did say the incident led one person to be transported and later released from the hospital. No arrests have been made yet, and the investigation is ongoing.

The investigation has included Clarksburg, North Adams and state police.

North Adams Police Director Michael Cozzaglio on Monday said a fight between two women at the Artery Lounge early Saturday morning involved city police in the incident.

"In the course of their investigation, it was brought to the officers' attention that there was a person inside the bar who had a gunshot wound," said Cozzaglio. The officers contacted North Adams Ambulance, which transported the individual to the hospital. "We assisted Clarksburg until the state police detective unit arrived on scene."

According to the North Adams police log, officers were called to the Artery on Union Street at about 1 a.m. for a report of a fight in progress between two women, neither of whom had any relation to the earlier incident in Clarksburg. At 5:36 a.m., the log reports that a North Adams officer also found two .22-caliber casings on Cross Road.
 

     

Superior Court Briefs: May 28 - May 30

Staff Reports

Cases heard before Judge C. Jeffrey Kinder on Tuesday, May 28.

Shawn Tripodes, 19, of North Adams had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on six larceny of a motor vehicle, three counts of wanton destruction of property, three counts of larceny under $250, two counts of larceny of a credit card, two counts of receiving stolen property over $250, two counts of breaking and entering a motor vehicle in the nighttime with intent to commit a felony and single counts of receiving stolen property under $250 and common and notorious thief.

He was ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $3,500 cash or $35,000 surety bail. The charges stem from a series of incidents in North Adams, Adams, Cheshire and Florida between April 5, 2013 and April 15.

Matthew Rodriguez, 19, of North Adams had not guilty pleas entered on  his behalf on six counts of larceny of a motor vehicle, three counts of wanton destruction of property, three counts of larceny under $250, three counts of breaking and entering a motor vehicle in the nighttime with intent to commit a felony, two counts of larceny of a credit card, two counts of receiving stolen property under $250 and single counts of receiving stolen property over $250, larceny over $250 and common and notorious thief.

He was ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $4,500 cash or $45,000 surety bail. The charges stem from a series of incidents in North Adams, Adams, Cheshire and Florida between April 5, 2013 and April 15, 2013.

Nisheen Davis, 40, of Pittsfield had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on single counts of trafficking in oxycodone, conspiracy to violate drug laws, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, illegal ownership of a firearm and possession of ammunition without a firearm identification card.

He was ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $5,000 cash or $50,000 surety bail. The charges stem from a motor vehicle stop and the execution of a search warrant on Memorial Drive on May 8, 2013.

Derek Adams, 33, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to single counts of trafficking in cocaine, conspiracy to violate drug laws to wit: trafficking in cocaine, and conspiracy to violate drug laws to wit: distribution of cocaine.

He was sentenced to serve seven to eight years at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Cedar Junction. Adams conspired with others to sell cocaine in Pittsfield on April 11, 2012. The other charges stem from the execution of a search warrant on Prospect Street on April 19, 2012.
 
Jason Rivera, 36, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to single counts of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine, possession of a firearm, rifle or shotgun with prior convictions for violent crimes or serious drug offenses, illegal possession of a firearm, possession of ammunition without a firearm identification card and improper storage of a firearm.

He was ordered to serve three to three and a half years in state prison on the possession of a firearm with prior convictions charge. He was given concurrent jail time on the other offenses.

The charges stem from the execution of a search warrant on Lenox Avenue on September 13, 2012.

Cases heard before Judge C. Jeffrey Kinder on Wednesday, May 29.

Lameek Thomas, 24, of Jamaica Plain, N.Y. pleaded guilty to single counts of illegal possession of a firearm rifle or shotgun, possession of ammunition without a firearm identification card, improper storage of a firearm and possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number.

He was ordered to serve concurrent 18 month sentences at the Berkshire County House of Correction on the illegal possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition charges. He was given concurrent time on the other charges.

The charges stem from a motor vehicle stop in Pittsfield on July 3, 2012.

Christopher Maschino, 21, of Pittsfield had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on single counts of larceny under $250 and larceny an ongoing and continuing offense. Those charges are in connection with an incident that occurred in Pittsfield between September 6, 2012 and October 28, 2012.

He also pleaded not guilty to single counts of breaking and entering in the daytime and larceny over $250 in connection with a break in Richmond on March 13, 2013. He was ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $50,000 bail.

Kevin Andrews, 46, of Hinsdale pleaded guilty to  nice counts of making a false health care claim, nine counts of fraudulently obtaining a controlled substance and a single count of conspiracy to violate drug laws to wit: uttering a false prescription.

His case was continued without a finding for one year. Andrews conspired with others to obtain prescription drugs and did obtain the drugs through the use of a fraudulent prescription. The incidents occurred in Pittsfield between March 14, 2011 and August 13, 2011.

Cases heard before Judge C. Jeffrey Kinder on Thursday, May 30.

Scott Van Zandt, 30, of Lee pleaded guilty to single counts of breaking and entering a building in the daytime with intent to commit a felony and larceny over $250.

He was ordered to serve two years at the Berkshire County House of Correction on the breaking and entering charge and placed on two years probation on the other charge.

Van Zandt broke into a building in Lee and took approximately $75,000. The incident occurred between July 1, 2011 and July 19, 2011. A single count of larceny from a building was dismissed by the state.

Gerald Ramos, 59, of Bronx, N.Y. had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on single counts of trafficking in oxycodone and conspiracy to violate drug laws.

He was sentenced to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $50,000 cash or $500,000 surety bail.

The charges stem from a motor vehicle stop on May 8, 2013.

     

Superior Court Briefs: May 21 - May 24

Staff Reports

Cases heard before Judge C. Jeffrey Kinder on Tuesday, May 21.

Jennifer Stall, 30, of Chatham, N.Y. pleaded guilty to eight counts of fraudulently obtaining a controlled substance, eight counts of making a false health care claim, two counts of attempt to commit a crime and two counts of conspiracy to violate drug laws.

She was laced on three-years probation. Stall conspired with others to obtain prescription drugs and did obtain them through the use of a fraudulent prescription between March 14, 2011 and August 30, 2011.

Walter Gadson Jr., 18, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to three counts of assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon and single counts of armed robbery and assault and battery.

He was sentenced to five to six years at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Cedar Junction on the armed robbery and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon charge. He was given a concurrent sentences at the Berkshire County House of Correction on the assault and battery charge.

Gadson assaulted and robbed and 18-year-old man in Pittsfield on May 7, 2012.

Cases heard before Judge C. Jeffrey Kinder on Friday, May 24.

Joseph Buttlieri, 46, of Pittsfield was found not guilty by a jury of four counts of rape.

Buttlieri was accused of sexually assaulting a woman who is now 21-years-old in Pittsfield between June 1, 2008 and July 31, 2010.

     

Pittsfield Firefighters Battle Bakery Fire

Staff ReportsiBerkshires
Flames burst out of the second story of the Lampiasi's Bakery in Pittsfield.

Update: Write-thru at 6:19 p.m. with quotes and new information.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The well-known Lampiasi's Bakery was engulfed in smoke and flames on Friday afternoon as firefighters battled to save what was left of the building.

The bakery at 53 Kent Ave. was open for business just before 2 p.m. when the fire was reported. Five workers, including two sons of owner Shawn Lampiasi, fled the building and were all accounted for.

Heavy smoke could be seen over North Street from the upper floor of the two-story building, and toward the back, where the bakery's century-old wood-fired ovens are located.

Fire officials do not have a cause but believe the blaze started in a void above the ovens between the first and second floor.

"Initially we did an interior attack, there was fire above the ovens," said Deputy Fire Chief Michael Polidoro. "We were operating the first alarm assignment, they were making no headway into the attack.

"We called the second alarm, which brings firefighters on duty to the scene and got mutual aid to cover the city with Dalton, Lanesborough and Lenox."

An hour into it, the airhorns were sounded and firefighters abruptly pulled from the building as the flames burst through the second-floor windows.

"There were guys who were in the building who unfortunately did not hear the evacuation order from me and one of our universal codes, throughout most fire departments, is to use the airhorns — three short blasts — in order to evacuate the buiding."

The top floor reportedly had office equipment and cleaning supplies but it was not clear they were stored there. The cause of the blaze has not yet been determined.  

The building dates to 1900 and suffered from another fire in the late 1980s. The property is assessed at $107,600.

The flames were beginning to die down later in the afternoon as firefighters mounted an exterior attack. Extra oxygen supplies were brought in.

Kent Avenue was closed and Seymour Street between Madison and Kent. County Ambulance, fire and building inspectors, and Berkshire Gas were at the scene, and many bystanders.

"A defensive attack as it is right now, is trying to maintian the fire at one point," said Polidoro as the crews continued to work at about 4:30. "They seem to be making some headway at this point."

The deputy chief said no one was injured although a couple firefighters experienced heat stress from the initial attack. "They all have recovered."

"The number of renovations in this building hampered our operations," he said. "Because of the different layers we had to get to ... the fire got a good hold."

The building, at the corner of Kent and Seymour, is separated from nearby buildings by parking lots and streets.

Lampiasi has operated the business for 31 years. It serves area restaurants and the public schools with breads and rolls.   The building is insured. The bakery had been previously owned by the late Walter F. Komuniecki Sr., who operated it for some 50 years before he died in 1969.

     
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