Pittsfield Dealership Surrenders License After Forgery Accusation

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A local car dealership has surrendered its license after being accused of forgery for the second time in two years.

Licensing Board Chairman Thomas Campoli reported Monday that D&K Affordable Motors had opted to surrender its dealership license rather than re-appear before the board with documentation supporting a claim of identity fraud.

A show cause hearing for the dealership in March on accusations it had tried to register another dealership under the same license had been continued to this date. The board requested banking documents and records from the two involved parties: manager Kaitlyn Rathbun and her employee and partner Devon Fitts.

They had tried to say someone may have stolen their information to set up the dealership.

Earlier this month, the attorney who represented Rathbun and Fitts at the hearing notified the board that he will no longer be representing them and just a few days later, the license was surrendered.

"At that hearing we heard a fraudulent alteration with D&K's license that was illegally used to obtain [federal Paycheck Protection Program] funding for a non-existent automobile dealership managed by Devon Fitts, that's what the documents said, that same altered license that was fraudulently altered was submitted to AuctionACCESS,” Campoli said.

"At that hearing, [Pittsfield Police Sgt. Marc Maddalena] testified before the Pittsfield Licensing Board, and the licensee of D&K was represented by counsel, attorney William Martin, who raised the specter that Mr. Fitts may have been the victim of identity fraud.

"There was no substantive evidence that was put before the board to verify that. However, we gave the licensee the opportunity to come back to see us today."

Campoli said Martin emailed the board on April 11 that he no longer represented D&K and on April 14, Rathbun surrendered the license. 

D&K Affordable Motors had a Class 2 license with the number 297 for its premises at 48 Dalton Ave. issued in 2020. As it appears, Fitts submitted the same license to AuctionACCESS — an online credentialing system for dealers — for Young's Auto Sales at 111 W Housatonic St., which is a vacant lot.

Fitts also applied for and received $19,700 in PPP loans for being the sole proprietor of a dealership at 111 W Housatonic St., the same address of the business that attempted to register with D&K's valid license.

Both situations were attributed to identity fraud after Fitts reportedly had his wallet and other documents stolen.

The situation was investigated by the Pittsfield Police before the hearing and they did not believe it was a matter of identity theft. 

Maddalena was under the impression that obtaining a new license under a new dealership would allow D&K to have a clean history so they are able to visit auction sites to purchase vehicles after having financial difficulties.

He added that in 24 years on the job he has not seen identity theft used to open a car dealership, as it is usually for cashing checks and opening accounts.

The case has been sent to the attorney general for further investigation.

In other news, a new gaming center called Boosted Lounge was granted a seasonal wine and malt on-premise liquor license for its facility in the Allendale Shopping Center.

Pittsfield Takes 'Big Step' With Supportive Housing

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:49PM / Tuesday, December 03, 2024

Housing Secretary Ed Augustus says supportive services are critical to moving people into permanent housing. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Those experiencing homelessness often need more than four walls and a roof.  

On Tuesday, Hearthway Inc. hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking for 37 new units of supportive housing, 28 on vacant land on West Housatonic Street and nine at Zion Lutheran Church on First Street.

"Today is a good day. It's a day we celebrate our community's commitment and responsibility to our neighbors, especially those who are unhoused, living in shelter, or outside," President and CEO Eileen Peltier said.

"Today, Pittsfield is taking a big step toward our responsibility to make our community stronger for all of us."

The approximately $16 million project offers tenants a variety of services from partner organizations such as The Brien Center and ServiceNet. It also includes a 6,500-square-foot housing resource center in the church's basement, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, with bathrooms, showers, laundry, offices for service providers to meet with clients, and more.

"We know that providing four walls and a roof is often not enough to ensure individuals are safely and continuously housed," Peltier said.

"Permanent supportive housing like these homes is the best way to ensure individuals thrive."

Hearthway, formerly Berkshire Housing Development Corp., is developing the units on donated land on West Housatonic and at Zion Lutheran Church through a lease agreement. The church will remain open during construction. 

The Rev. Joel Bergeland explained that the Zion community is bound by a commitment to treat each neighbor with reverence and see them as "gifts sent from God." While others may not share that faith, he pointed out that they are bound by a charge to seek the welfare of the community.