Berkshire County — The Berkshire County District Attorney’s Office announced on Monday, February 10, that 10 residents were arrested in connection with drug trafficking.
Office Chief of Operations Julia Sabourin wrote in a press release that the arrests were made on Friday, February 7, after a months-long investigation of a drug-trafficking organization “attempting to entrench itself in Berkshire County.”
On the morning of February 8, the Berkshire State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office and the Berkshire County Law Enforcement Task Force, along with assisting agencies, prepared to execute the 23 search warrants both simultaneously or in very close proximity to each other.
The search warrants included residencies in North Adams, Adams, and Pittsfield, along with various vehicles and long-term storage facilities. Additional search warrants were executed in Lowell as part of a connected investigation.
According to Sabourin, the organization brought large amounts of cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl into Berkshire County.
Berkshire District Attorney Timothy J. Shugrue said that 20 firearms and over $200,000 in drugs were seized as part of the investigation.
This includes:
- $60,000 cash;
- 700 grams of cocaine;
- 320 grams of heroin;
- 300 grams of fentanyl pills.
The search warrants were executed at the following locations:
- 93 Beaver Street in North Adams;
- 97 Beaver Street in North Adams;
- 101 Beaver Street in North Adams;
- 76A Howland Avenue in Adams;
- 76B Howland Avenue in Adams;
- 78A Howland Avenue in Adams;
- 78B Howland Avenue in Adams;
- 11 Quaker Street Apartment 2 in Adams;
- 11 Quaker Street Apartment 3 in Adams;
- 3 Orchard Street Apartment 12 in Pittsfield;
- 138 Mill Street Apartment D in Pittsfield;
- U-Haul 434-436 West Housatonic Street Unit 1424 in Pittsfield;
- U-Haul 434-436 West Housatonic Street Unit 1548 in Pittsfield;
- 239 Lakeview Avenue Apartment 2 Second Floor in Lowell.
Vehicles searched
- A 2019 gray Nissan Rogue bearing Massachusetts registration 3NHW53;
- A 2017 blue Infiniti QX6 bearing Massachusetts registration KVX2453;
- A 2017 gray Nissan Sentra bearing Massachusetts registration 5EKS44.
Arrested in the investigation:
- Henry Vidal, 42, resident of 3 Orchard Street Apartment 12, Pittsfield. Charged with 1) Trafficking Cocaine 36-100 Grams; 2) Trafficking Heroin 200 Grams or More; 3) Conspiracy to Violate Drug Law.
- Jose Carrasquillo, 50, resident of 239 Lakeview Avenue Apartment 2, Lowell. Charged with 1) Trafficking Cocaine 200 Grams or More; 2) Possession of Ammunition without an FID; 3) Firearm charges that are being handled by Lowell Police Department; 4) Conspiracy to Violate Drug Law.
- Richard Colon, 44, resident of 11 Quaker Street Apartment 3, Pittsfield. Charged with 1) Trafficking Cocaine 200 Grams or More; 2) Trafficking Cocaine 100-200 Grams; 3) Trafficking Heroin 100-200 Grams; 4) Trafficking Fentanyl 300 Grams; 5) Conspiracy to Violate Drug Law.
- Victor Colon, 45, resident of 101 Beaver Street North Adams. Charged with 1) Trafficking Cocaine 18-36 Grams; 2) Possession with Intent to Distribute Class A Fentanyl; 3) Possession of Firearm without LTC/FID x2; 4) Possession of Firearm in Commission of a Felony x2; 5) Improper Storage of a Firearm x2; 6) Possession of Ammunition without an FID; 7) Possession of a Large Capacity Feeding Device x3; 8) Conspiracy to Violate Drug Law.
- Julio Colon-Valentin, 26, resident of 101 Beaver Street, North Adams. Charged with 1) Possession with Intent to Distribute Class A Heroin; 2) Trafficking Cocaine 18-36 Grams; 3) Conspiracy to Violate Drug Law.
- Andy Rivera-Medina, 44, resident of 78A Howland Avenue, Adams. Charged with Conspiracy to Violate Drug Law.
- Kahlil Lanphear-Dyer, 36, resident of 11 Quaker Street Apartment 2, Adams. Charged with 1) Trafficking Cocaine 100-200 Grams; 2) Possession of a Firearm in Commission of a Felony x16; 3) Possession of a Large Capacity Feeding Device x7; 4) Improper Storage of a Firearm x13; 5) Conspiracy to Violate Drug Law.
- Ismael Beltre-Beltre, 39, resident of 76B Howland Avenue, Adams. Charged with 1) Trafficking Cocaine 100-200 Grams; 2) Trafficking Heroin 36-100 Grams.
- Gerard Mendez-Navarro, 19, resident of 76B Howland Avenue, Adams. Charged with 1) Trafficking Cocaine 100-200 Grams; 2) Trafficking Heroin 36-100 Grams.
- Meagan Oakley, 32, resident of 76B Howland Avenue, Adams. Charged with 1) Trafficking Cocaine 100-200 Grams; 2) Trafficking Heroin 36-100 Grams.
Six of those arrested—Colon, Carrasquillo, Vidal, Colon, Colon-Valentin, and Rivera-Medina—had active search warrants.
“I ran for office on a platform of accountability and commitment to building a safer community,” said Shugrue according to the press release. “Friday represented a critical milestone in fulfilling that pledge. Thanks to months of diligent investigative work and the brave actions of local and state law enforcement, the Berkshires became a safer place. Those bringing large quantities of drugs to our community, exploiting those suffering from addiction, will be prosecuted to the greatest extent of the law.”
Law Enforcement Agencies Involved included:
- Berkshire District Attorney’s Office;
- Berkshire State Police Detective Unit;
- Berkshire County Law Enforcement Task Force;
- Berkshire County Special Response Team;
- Berkshire County Sheriff’s Department;
- Massachusetts State Police STOP Team
- Attorney General’s Office;
- Massachusetts State Police;
- Pittsfield Police Department;
- Great Barrington Police Department;
- North Adams Police Department;
- Adams Police Department;
- Lowell Police Department;
- Franklin/Hampshire County Law; Enforcement Task Force;
- Middlesex State Police Detective Unit; and
- The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms provided equipment for the operation.
