Task Force Arrests 3 for Drug Trafficking

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A raid on Brown Street on Tuesday resulted in the arrests and arraignments of three men described by authorities as large-scale drug traffickers.
 
Kareem Archibald, 25, and Maurice Simmons, 33, both of the Bronx, N.Y., and Jah'Rell J. Mayes, 22, of Pittsfield, were arraigned Wednesday in Pittsfield District Court on numerous charges including trafficking in heroin and cocaine.
 
Archibald and Simmons are both being held on $100,000 bail and Mayes on $50,000 bail.
 
Law enforcement said they identified the suspects and the suspected trap house, an apartment unit on Brown Street, based on an extensive investigation leading up to their arrests.
 
Police said the three men were arrested Monday at about 12:52 p.m. after walking out of 30 Brown. Simmons was wearing a satchel and Archibald and Mayes both carried backpacks. 
 
Archibald and Simmons were handcuffed without issue. Mayes fled and was later apprehended on Oak Street. All the bags recovered by law enforcement contained drugs and other evidence of drug dealing, according to police.
 
The Berkshire County Special Response Team executed a knock and announce search warrant at the house at 1:35 on Tuesday. No one was found inside when the warrant was executed but law enforcement recovered guns, ammunition, drugs, cash, and other items that they say indicated the house was used as a central location for drug dealing. 
 
Combined, law enforcement recovered approximately $20,729 in cash; approximately 146 grams of cocaine (worth between $7,300 to $14,600); multiple digital scales (digital scales are used to weigh drugs); numerous cell phones (drug dealers often possess multiple cell phones to communicate with other dealers and customers); an illegal firearm; and an illegal ammunition.
 
"I do not tolerate large-scale drug trafficking in the Berkshires," said Berkshire District Attorney Timothy Shugrue. "Once again, the Task Force conducted a comprehensive investigation and taken action to apprehend individuals brining drugs and violence. We will ensure that these individuals are held accountable for their actions.

Tags: drug charges,   drug trafficking,   

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Lanesborough Picks Information Panel for Public Safety Proposal

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The town has a public safety building proposal to present to taxpayers, and now, an informational committee will help move the process forward.

On Monday, the Select Board voted to form a public safety building informational outreach committee and re-appointed four members: Dean Clement, Daniel MacWhinnie, Mark Siegars, and Lisa Dachinger.

"The Public Safety Building Committee has done their job. Now we need, hopefully with some of those same bodies, to form a new committee of some type and move forward," Select Board member Timothy Sorrell explained.

Earlier this month, the town officials voted to advance a $7.3 million combined police/emergency medical services facility to town meeting, discarding the option for a $6.5 million separate build.  The same design, then priced at $5.9 million, was shot down in 2023.

"There is the option to go to what could be a debt exclusion, which requires a two-thirds majority at either a special town meeting or an annual town meeting, and that can be followed by inclusion in a ballot," Town Administrator Gina Dario said.

Siegars advised that if the question goes to a ballot first with a fixed project budget, that amount can't be changed for a subsequent special town meeting vote.

"In our discussions, there are committee members who are willing to stay on if you wanted to continue the committee or appoint to new one, who have volunteered to be involved with any public information sessions to try to answer the questions with the idea that that they would also explore further and work with Gina and town counsel on specifically what the question should be for a special town meeting, and if, if warranted a subsequent ballot vote," he reported.

Chairman Michael Murphy echoed the former committees' arguments that the town can't explore grants and financing until it has approved an amount.

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