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westernmanews · 7 years ago

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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – As we close out 2017, 22News is taking a look back at our top stories over the past year. From the deadly New Years’ Day fire in Holyoke to a major break in the decades-old murder case of Lisa Ziegert, and an extremely lucky Chicopee Powerball winner, here are the most-read stories of 2017.

20. Two bodies found in Pittsfield home

Pittsfield firefighters conducting a well-being check had to force their way into the home, where they found the bodies of 53-year-old John Kordana and 39-year-old Celeste Kordana inside. Autopsies revealed Celeste died of blunt force trauma to the head, while John died from asphyxiation and loss of blood from superficial wounds that the DA’s office said appear to have been self-inflicted.

19. Woman killed in Wendell shooting; police searching for suspect

After a five-day manhunt, 53-year-old Lewis Starkey III was arrested in connection with the shooting death of his 48-year-old girlfriend Amanda Glover. Starkey is also accused of driving to Chicopee just hours after the murder, where he allegedly shot at one of his co-workers at Specialized Trucking.

Photo courtesy Chicopee Police Department

18. Big rig driver killed in fiery tractor trailer crash in Lee

The driver became trapped in his burning tractor trailer cab after rear-ending another big-rig on the Mass Pike.

17. Deadly accident in Palmer temporarily closed section of Boston Road

A man was killed after crashing into an overpass on Route 67 in Palmer. The car caught on fire and had been burning for several minutes before firefighters and police got there.

16. DA Spokesman: Teen stabbed mother to death, then killed himself

Investigators believe that a 15-year-old boy stabbed his mother to death before shooting and killing himself. Their bodies were found inside their Chicopee home after a neighbor told firefighters he heard a gunshot.

15. “Compelling information” gathered in search for car linked to Molly Bish case

A ground-penetrating radar search of a campground in West Brookfield yielded “compelling information” in the investigation into the 2000 murder of Molly Bish. Dr. Sarah Stein, a private investigator who has worked for the Bish family since 2003, led the search for a white car suspected to have been buried at the Old Sawmill Campground.

16 year-old Molly Bish disappeared from her lifeguard post at Comins Pond in Warren on June 27, 2000.

14. Police found 4 pipe bombs in truck on Route 5; suspect taken to hospital

Police arrested a former Marine after complaints from the Springfield Veteran Center, and a short police pursuit, during which West Springfield Police Chief Ronald Campuciani said he waved the pipe bombs out the window of the pickup truck. In addition to the pipe bombs, another home-made explosive device was found at his home in Russell.

13. Police, District Attorney conduct investigation in Westfield

For months, police were limited by law in their ability to release information about an ongoing investigation in Westfield, in which a transfer station and apartment complex were searched. It wasn’t until the arrest of 38-year-old Shanna Sharples five months later, that we had some insight into the investigation. The mother had been charged with disposing of a baby after giving birth, though the baby’s body has never been found.

Westfield Transfer Station

12. 3 dead after New Years Day apartment fire in Holyoke

The year 2017 started off on a somber note for residents at an apartment building on North East Street in Holyoke. Three people were killed and 25 families were left without a home. It was later determined the connection between the fire alarm system and the alarm monitoring company stopped working just two days before. Full coverage here.

11. 2 dementia residents found trapped, 1 dead at Longmeadow nursing home

After 22News found out JGS Lifecare was being investigated by the state, the I-Team discovered that two dementia residents were found trapped between the side rail and mattress of their beds. One of those residents was found dead.

10. VIDEO: Sasquatch sighting at the “X” in Springfield

Our own Storm Team Meteorologist Jennifer Pagliei went viral after a Sasquatch covered in marijuana leaves made an uncanny appearance on live television.

9. Hampden DA: 6 kilos of heroin, guns, cars seized during raids

An investigation into what the Hampden County District Attorney’s Office called a “high-level heroin trafficking organization” uncovered massive amounts of heroin, illegal firearms, and luxury cars. The street value of the heroin seized? $1.3 million!

8. Body found in Szot Park, Chicopee police investigating homicide

A community activist who had been shot multiple times was found dead in Szot Park in Chicopee in September. His death still remains a mystery. If you have any information that can help investigators, you are urged to call the Chicopee Police Department at (413) 594-1730 or the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit at (413) 505-5993. You can also anonymously text a tip by texting the word “SOLVE” and your message to��CRIMES (274637).

7. 4 dead in Springfield SUV crash; vehicle had been stolen

Three Central High School students and one young man were killed when the stolen SUV they were in crashed into a tree on Union Street in Springfield. The alleged driver and sole survivor in the crash crash has pleaded not guilty to four counts of manslaughter.

Image Courtesy: Springfield Fire Department

6. Massachusetts State Police searched for escaped inmate

James Morales, a former Army reservist, was in custody for theft of weapons from a federal armory in Worcester in 2015 when he escaped a Rhode Island correctional facility. While Morales was on the run, he attempted to rob two banks in eastern Massachusetts, but was ultimately caught and taken back into custody.

Photo Courtesy: Massachusetts State Police

5. 400+ arrests, 32K bags of heroin seized in Holyoke’s “Operation Full Throttle III”

More than 400 arrests were made, and 32,000 bags of heroin were taken off the streets as part of a month-long anti-crime push in Holyoke called “Operation Full Throttle III.”

Mugshots of suspects arrested in “Operation Full Throttle III” lined the wall of a room at Holyoke Police Department headquarters.

4. Gary Schara arrested in murder of Lisa Ziegert

Though recent revelations in the evidence led investigators to Gary Schara, Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni said he had been a person of interest in the case since 1993. Full coverage here.

3. Massachusetts changing process for auto inspections

As of October 1, inspection stations had to upgrade to a new system that requires multiple cameras to record the emissions testing process.

2. $758M Powerball ticket sold in Chicopee; Winner announced

Fifty-three year-old Mavis L. Wanczyk is taking home the largest jackpot ever won by a single ticket in North American Lottery history. She bought the winning ticket at the Pride Station & Store on Montgomery Street in Chicopee.

(Photo Courtesy: Massachusetts State Lottery)

1. I-91 Reconstruction

The repair of the elevated section of I-91 in Springfield, also referred to as the viaduct, is nearing completion. It is a temporary fix until an alternative, permanent solution is found for the highway. The repair became necessary, as pothole patching has become frequent, and parts of the highway have been falling down on Columbus Ave. Full coverage here.

#Western MA news #westernmanews

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shirlleycoyle · 5 years ago

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Racist Extremist Arrested For Attempted Arson at Jewish Nursing Home

An FBI counterterrorism unit in Massachusetts arrested a racist extremist who allegedly planted an explosive at a Jewish assisted living facility with the intent to kill some of its residents. The person had potential links to an online white supremacist organization.

The news is yet another example of racist extremists attempting a terrorist attack during the coronavirus pandemic. Experts have noted that some of these terrorists, who adhere to the doctrine of accelerationism, see the pandemic as an opportunity to hasten the collapse of society.

On April 2, police in East Longmeadow discovered what was described as a bloodstained Molotov cocktail, which appeared to have failed to completely ignite, in front of Ruth’s House—a Jewish care facility servicing seniors of multiple religious denominations. Investigators linked the blood to the DNA of area resident John Michael Rathbun, 36, who was then arrested on two charges of attempted arson.

On an unnamed social media platform in early March, the facility had been mentioned as a potential target by a white supremacist organization promoting terrorist attacks on mosques, synagogues, and people of color in the U.S. and elsewhere. After users discussed where best to carry out a mass killing one user mentioned, “that jew nursing home in longmeadow massachusetts.” A month later, on April 3, the same user is believed to have earmarked the date on another social media platform used by the organization as “jew killing day” and listed their target as “Jew Nursery Home.”

It is unclear in the release if the FBI is alleging the user in question was Rathbun.

“The charges in this case allege that the defendant tried to blow up a Jewish assisted living residence with a five gallon gas canister, at the same time that the facility was being discussed on white supremacist online platforms,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “We will find, investigate and aggressively prosecute anyone engaged in this kind of mayhem.”

In the Department of Justice release, Lelling noted that racially-motivated individuals often use times of “national crisis” as an opportunity for violence. In March a neo-Nazi in Missouri was killed in a gunfight with the FBI after agents disrupted his plans to bomb a hospital struggling with the coronoavirus pandemic.

Racist Extremist Arrested For Attempted Arson at Jewish Nursing Home syndicated from https://triviaqaweb.wordpress.com/feed/

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mastcomm · 5 years ago

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Trump Threw Weighty Refugee Decisions to Local Government, With Painful Results

EAST LONGMEADOW, Mass. — In a gray-walled, institutional hall usually reserved for prosaic debates over traffic and town budgets, Mohamoud Abdirahman rose from the audience last month and approached a panel of five town councilmen sitting in judgment.

Civil war had forced his family to flee their native Somalia in 1991, when he was a child. The Abdirahmans traveled for two days by cargo ship to Kenya, where they stayed for a year and a half before securing refuge in the United States. Now, it was his turn to fight for those trying to follow his footsteps to this town abutting Springfield and the Connecticut border.

“A lot of people like me just want a second chance at life,” an emotional Mr. Abdirahman pleaded.

A similar refrain is echoing across the country in town councils, county commissions, mayors’ offices and governors’ mansions after an executive order signed by President Trump in September granted local politicians a veto over the placement of refugees in their communities.

That order has carried the national tension over the Trump administration’s hard-line immigration agenda from the halls of Washington and detention camps along the southwestern border to places like East Longmeadow, population 16,000, and turned refugees and those who work to resettle them into lobbyists of sorts.

The anxiety among resettlement officials here has grown in recent weeks after the mayor of neighboring Springfield, one of the largest cities in Western Massachusetts, became one of the first politicians in the country to announce that he would not allow refugee resettlement. That was amplified by the decision of Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas last month to block resettlement for the entire state, which has welcomed more refugees than any other state in the past five years. And on Friday, Mr. Trump put refugees who have lived in Western Massachusetts for years at risk of continuing to stay separated from their relatives abroad when he added Nigeria, Myanmar, Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Sudan and Tanzania to a list of countries facing stringent travel restrictions.

“This goes against everything we know,” said Maxine Stein, the chief executive of the Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts, a refugee resettlement agency.

The vetoes issued so far in Texas, Springfield and counties in Minnesota and Virginia were suspended in recent weeks by a federal judge who issued a temporary injunction against the executive order. The ruling delayed a Jan. 21 deadline for resettlement agencies to submit funding requests — along with letters of consent from governors and local officials — to the State Department.

But the resettlement agencies say there is still an urgent need for the resettlement approvals. Judges issued similar temporary injunctions for Mr. Trump’s other immigration polices, only to have the Supreme Court side with the administration.

It is also, the resettlement agencies say, about education. Some local officials were wholly unfamiliar with refugee policy before Mr. Trump tasked them with deciding whether resettlement should continue in their communities. Under the executive order, if a town board, county official or mayor declines — or neglects — to make a decision, silence equates to a veto.

“What we’ve seen in the courts is that the deadline may be pushed back, but it often doesn’t go away,” said Sara Bedford, who works with refugee families for the Jewish Family Service. “As long as the Springfield mayor doesn’t opt in, I think refugee communities will feel just a little bit less welcome.”

The vague wording of the executive order also caused confusion among refugee resettlement officials, who questioned which local official had the power to consent to the State Department.

Under the order, consent is required from governors and “localities,” which in many places was interpreted as the county leadership. But some Western Massachusetts towns are not represented by a county government, so the decision in Springfield fell to Domenic J. Sarno, the son of Italian immigrants and the longest-serving mayor of one of the poorest cities in the state.

Mr. Sarno, a Democrat, issued his veto even after Gov. Charlie Baker of Massachusetts formally consented to allow refugees into the state and the Springfield City Council unanimously voted to allow them into the city.

“You cannot continue to concentrate poverty on top of poverty,” Mr. Sarno wrote in Springfield’s newspaper, The Republican. He demanded that more affluent communities “step up to the plate and put their money where their mouth is — to take on their fair share of social justice responsibilities.”

Mr. Sarno’s words echoed those of Mr. Trump, who has said the country is “full” and has threatened to send immigrants by the busload to Democratic cities and towns that have denounced his policies. Michael A. Fenton, the Springfield councilman who introduced the resolution to welcome refugees, said he had been fielding calls from residents demanding the city “let them go to the suburbs.” Mr. Abbott argued, “Texas has carried more than its share.”

But most government officials who responded to the executive order have decided to accept refugees into their states and counties, including those dominated by Republicans. At least 42 governors and more than 110 local governments have consented.

They include Asa Hutchinson, the Republican governor of Arkansas and former under secretary of homeland security, who in 2015 opposed allowing Syrian refugees into the state, citing security concerns. Last month, Mr. Hutchinson testified before his State Legislature to defend allowing refugees into Arkansas, taking with him a Congolese business owner and an Afghan refugee who assisted the American military.

Gary Stubblefield, an Arkansas state senator, pressed his fellow Republican, lamenting, “Every morning when I wake up and turn on the national news, sometimes I ask myself a question: ‘Am I still in the United States of America?’”

Mr. Hutchinson held his ground: “You’ve got a choice to make. You can create fear, or you can help resolve fear. I challenge you to help resolve fear.”

In a twist, Mr. Hutchinson said in an interview that he was encouraged to allow refugees into Arkansas since a limited number would most likely be resettled in the state after Mr. Trump capped the number for 2020 at 18,000, down from 30,000 in the previous year. President Barack Obama set the cap at 110,000 his last year in office.

Still, Mr. Hutchinson’s staff spent the first days after his decision fielding angry calls from constituents, an uncomfortable task that Mr. Fenton in Springfield knows well. By signing the executive order, Mr. Trump has put municipal leaders in an unfair position, Mr. Fenton said.

“Municipal officials in the Northeast, we deal with snow, we deal with potholes, we deal with property taxes, trash pickup,” he said. “We do not deal with the complications associated with refugee immigration policy.”

He worries that the mayor’s decision will have a lasting effect on Springfield’s reputation.

“Those active and contributing members of our society don’t feel good about themselves in the place that they live when people say they’re not welcome,” Mr. Fenton said.

Mr. Sarno’s rejection of refugees surprised Fikiri Amisi and Jacqueline Asumani, Congolese immigrants who came to Springfield last year after spending more than 12 years in a refugee camp in Zimbabwe. When he first came to Springfield, Mr. Amisi said, it felt as though he had been saved. Both work full time, Ms. Asumani at a hotel and Mr. Amisi at a factory that manufactures medical supplies. Mr. Amisi is also studying for his associate degree. They have three children and plan to buy a house next year.

The couple wonders what they have done wrong.

“They don’t want more refugees here,” Ms. Asumani told her husband. “It shows they don’t love us.”

On a recent afternoon, Mr. Amisi looked through a photo album and stopped at an image showing the refugee camp where he used to wait in limbo. A friend called him to express concern over the mayor’s decision. He has been waiting for a ticket to the United States for four years, though long ago he cleared the refugee screening process.

The resettlement officials at Jewish Family Service have tried to meet with officials on a near daily basis. Municipal leaders often ask about costs to the school system and whether the local government will need to provide housing for the refugees. The staff reassures them that the onus is on the resettlement agency, which helps families find work and pay for the first three months of housing.

While a veto by a local official cannot prevent a refugee from moving to a city from within the United States, it prohibits the resettlement organizations from providing that initial financial support and could harm their overall funding, according to Ms. Stein.

“When you’re sleeping on relatives’ floors or extra beds, and you’re all jammed into the kitchen, and it’s chaotic in the morning to get to school so you just don’t get to school, it’s just not a good scene,” Ms. Stein said.

She made that case to the East Longmeadow Town Council, hoping councilors would open the door to refugees shut out of Springfield. Some seemed moved by the testimonies, including the story of Mr. Abdirahman, who now holds a master’s degree and works as the assistant director of behavioral health services at Jewish Family Service.

“To our residents who took the time to speak from your heart, thank you for doing that,” said Kathleen G. Hill, the Town Council president. “And come visit anytime.”

But the Council already voted to take no action on Mr. Trump’s executive order in November, weeks after it was signed. Local government rules stipulated that they could not take the matter up for another six months.

Their hands were tied. And under Mr. Trump’s policy, doing nothing meant turning the refugees away.

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missingpersonsofamerica · 6 years ago

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Andrew Pearson disappears after leaving work in Massachusetts

The Springfield Police Department posted on social media that they are asking for the public’s help in locating Andrew Pearson.

Andrew Pearson, 25, was last seen in East Longmeadow leaving work on January 28, 2019. His friends told MPofA that “Andrew was last seen leaving his work at Panera Bread located at 450 N Main St. in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, and walking down Harkness Ave. on…

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idavidwilliams · 5 years ago

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Concealed Carry and Self-Defense Pistol Course 10/12/2019

Date: Saturday October 12, 2019

Time: 9am to approx. 1pm

This course requires the participant to be in good physical health and have good manual dexterity) This course consists of some of the following topics: Range Safety, Legal issues, Use of Force, De-escalation of Force/ Violence, Proper Stances, Proper Grip, Proper Sight Alignment, Proper Sight picture, Proper Trigger Control, Proper…

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idavidwilliams · 6 years ago

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*Discount* (Live-Fire) Massachusetts/ Connecticut License to Carry (LTC) Firearms Safety Course 03/09/19, 03/24/19, 03/31/19

This is a SHOOTING course. This course consists of handling several different types of firearms. The only way to learn is by seeing, hearing and doing. There is NO online portion or video games to this training course. You will learn firearms storage laws, self-defense laws, transportation laws and many more. (This class meets the Chicopee Police Dept. resident requirements for applying for…

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idavidwilliams · 6 years ago

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Aug. & Sept 2018 Live Fire & Non-Live Fire License to Carry Course

Live Fire & Non-Live Fire License to Carry Course

Aug 26, 2018 & Sept 09, 16, 30, 2018

This course consists of handling several different types of firearms. The only way to learn is by seeing, hearing and doing. There is NO online portion or video games to this training course. It is hands on. You will learn firearms storage laws, self-defense laws, transportation laws and many more. (The Live…

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idavidwilliams · 7 years ago

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SUMMER SPECIAL! Firearm Safety Course! (LTC/ F.I.D)

SUMMER SPECIAL!

SAVE $25 off our Massachusetts/ Connecticut License to Carry/ Pistol Permit course. When you purchase this class between June 1, 2018 and July 31, 2018. You can register for classes in June or July. Register through our website at SUMMER SPECIAL! ***Use Promotional Code “SUMMER SPECIAL” during check out.

This course will give you the ability to apply in MA, CT, RI, FL and…

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westernmanews · 5 years ago

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CHICOPEE — Phillips Insurance partnered with clients Fazio’s Ristorante of East Longmeadow and Simos Produce of Springfield to deliver pizza and grocery boxes to its clients and first responders.

Phillips Insurance delivered dozens of grocery boxes from Simos Produce to clients so they could avoid going to the supermarket. In addition, Phillips and Fazio’s Ristorante delivered pizzas and grinders to first responders and heathcare providers, while Phillips Insurance delivered pizza and subs to the Chicopee Police Department in appreciation of all they do for the community.

Phillips Insurance Agency was established in 1953 and is a full-service risk-management firm with a staff of 28 professionals.

The post Phillips Insurance Agency Delivers Pizza, Food Boxes to Clients, First Responders appeared first on BusinessWest.

#Western MA news #westernmanews

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mastcomm · 5 years ago

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Trump Threw Weighty Refugee Decisions to Local Government, With Painful Results

“A lot of people like me just want a second chance at life,” an emotional Mr. Abdirahman pleaded.

“This goes against everything we know,” said Maxine Stein, the chief executive of the Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts, a refugee resettlement agency.

The vague wording of the executive order also caused confusion among refugee resettlement officials, who questioned which local official had the power to consent to the State Department.

Mr. Hutchinson held his ground: “You’ve got a choice to make. You can create fear, or you can help resolve fear. I challenge you to help resolve fear.”

He worries that the mayor’s decision will have a lasting effect on Springfield’s reputation.

“Those active and contributing members of our society don’t feel good about themselves in the place that they live when people say they’re not welcome,” Mr. Fenton said.

The couple wonders what they have done wrong.

“They don’t want more refugees here,” Ms. Asumani told her husband. “It shows they don’t love us.”

“To our residents who took the time to speak from your heart, thank you for doing that,” said Kathleen G. Hill, the Town Council president. “And come visit anytime.”

Their hands were tied. And under Mr. Trump’s policy, doing nothing meant turning the refugees away.

from WordPress https://mastcomm.com/trump-threw-weighty-refugee-decisions-to-local-government-with-painful-results/

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westernmanews · 5 years ago

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HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) is once again offering a one-month, hands-on program for individuals who want to become FAA-licensed drone pilots.

“Flying Drones for Profit, Public Safety, and Commercial Applications” will run on four consecutive Tuesdays, Nov. 5 through Nov. 26, from 6 to 10 p.m. in HCC’s Kittredge Center for Business and Workforce Development on the HCC main campus, 303 Homestead Ave., Holyoke. The cost for the four-week, non-credit course is $315. Space is limited.

The course will prepare individuals to take the Federal Aviation Administration Remote Pilot in Charge exam, which they must pass to become licensed drone operators. Classes are taught by Steven Vigneault, an alumnus of the program and owner and operator of Expeditionary Drones, an aerial photography company in East Longmeadow. Vigneault worked at Barnes Air National Guard base on the Security Force and was previously an officer for the Springfield Police Department.

The course focuses on all content required to pass the FAA Remote Pilot test, including regulations, national airspace system rules, weather, aircraft loading, aircraft performance and flight operations. It is geared toward professionals in a wide range of industries, including engineering, construction, insurance, agriculture, emergency services, public safety, security, environmental management, transportation, and retail, as well as those involved in more artistic pursuits like movies, video, and photography.

The post HCC Drone Pilot Certification Course Begins Nov. 5 appeared first on BusinessWest.

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westernmanews · 6 years ago

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EAST LONGMEADOW, Mass. (WWLP) - East Longmeadow residents celebrated this Memorial Day as they do every year with a Ceremony of Remembrance."

Veterans and active military members gathered at the East Longmeadow High School to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

During Monday's ceremony, members of the East Longmeadow police and fire departments stood with veterans to remember the soldiers who never made it home. Spectators lined the sidewalk to honor our military heroes.

"We went in under the impression that we may have to make the ultimate sacrifice," American Legion District Senior Vice Commander Brian Tidlund explained. "We were the lucky ones. But the ones that did, I know their families have hard times with it... So today is remembering them and what they did to ensure our freedom here in this country."

Throughout history, young men and women have put on a uniform to protect our freedom, democracy, and the American way of life.

Memorial Day is much more than just a long holiday weekend. It's a time to reflect on veterans and their families who gave so much.

Governor Charlie Baker put this way: "We are the home of the free, because of the brave."

Find 22News on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram; send your news tips to [email protected].

#Western MA news #westernmanews

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westernmanews · 6 years ago

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(WWLP) - Saturday is National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.

Police departments across western Massachusetts will be holding events for people to bring their prescription drugs.

All the events will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday morning and will continue until 2 p.m.

The medicines can remain in the original containers with labels. Police will not accept liquids or syringes.

Events will be taking place at the following locations:

Hampden County:

East Longmeadow: at the East Longmeadow Police Department

Holyoke: Lobby of the Holyoke Police Department

Longmeadow: at the Longmeadow Police Department

Ludlow: at the Ludlow Police Department

Springfield: at Springfield Central High School

West Springfield: Lobby of West Springfield City Hall

Hampshire County:

Amherst: at Wildwood Elementary School

Belchertown: at the Town Common on Park Street

Easthampton: at the Easthampton Public Safety Complex

Hadley: at the Lowe's on 282 Russell Street

Northampton: at the JFK Middle School

South Hadley: at the South Hadley Police Department

Southampton: at the Southampton Town Hall

Franklin County:

Bernardston: at the senior center on Library Street

Deerfield: at the Deerfield Police Department

Greenfield: at the Greenfield Police Department

Leverett: at the Leverett Police Department

Montague: at the Montague Police Department

Sunderland: at the Sunderland Police Department

Find 22News on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram; send your news tips to [email protected].

#Western MA news #westernmanews

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westernmanews · 6 years ago

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SPRINGFIELD, Mass (WWLP) - A new police dog cruiser was unveiled Tuesday afternoon.

Mayor Domenic Sarno and Acting Police commissioner Cheryl Clapprood revealed the newly designed K-9 cruiser at the Springfield Police Headquarters at 2 p.m.

The cruiser was designed by artist Jim McBride, owner of Go Graphix in East Longmeadow. He specially designed the cruiser to honor his late grandfather, Springfield Police officer Walter White.

"He got in trouble with his superiors very often he didn't write enough tickets. Instead on his beat, he was taking kids for walks. The kids that were going off in the wrong direction," McBride said.

Police dog officer Raul Gonzalez and his partner "Hades" expect to attract a good deal of positive attention on the streets of Springfield.

The 20-year police veteran will be driving one of nine K-9 cruisers now on duty in the Springfield Police Department. His will be the only one with these distinctive designs.

Find 22News on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram; send your news tips to [email protected].

#Western MA news #westernmanews

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westernmanews · 6 years ago

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Thirteen Springfield Police Department officers and one former officer have been indicted on various charges in connection with an assault on four victims and an attempt to cover up the details of the assault afterwards, Attorney General Maura Healey and FBI Boston Division Special Agent in Charge Joseph R. Bonavolonta announced today.

A specially-designated Statewide Grand Jury sitting in Worcester returned indictments against the following individuals today, in connection with the assault on the four alleged victims:

Springfield Police Officer Daniel Billingsley, age 30, of Springfield

Springfield Police Officer Anthony Cicero, age 29, of Hampden

Springfield Police Officer Christian Cicero, age 28, of Longmeadow

Springfield Police Officer Igor Basovskiy, age 34, of Springfield

Springfield Police Officer Jameson Williams, age 33, of East Longmeadow

Springfield Police Officer Jose Diaz, 54, of Springfield

Nathan Bills Bar & Restaurant Owner John Sullivan, age 34, of Springfield

The above defendants are charged with Assault and Battery with a Dangerous Weapon, Shod Foot (4 counts each), Assault and Battery - Serious Bodily Injury (1 count each), Assault and Battery (3 counts each), and Conspiracy (1 count each).

The Statewide Grand Jury also returned indictments against the following individuals today, in connection with attempting to cover up details of the assault afterwards:

John Sullivan

Misleading a Federal Agent/Investigator

Springfield Police Officer Jose Diaz

Misleading a Police Officer/Investigator

Springfield Police Officer Darren Nguyen, age 40, of Holland

Perjury

Misleading a Police Officer/Investigator

Filing a False Police Report

Springfield Police Officer Shavonne Lewis, age 29, of Springfield

Perjury

Misleading a Police Officer/Investigator

Filing a False Police Report

Springfield Police Sergeant Louis Bortolussi, age 57, of East Longmeadow

Perjury

Misleading a Police Officer/Investigator

Filing a False Police Report

Springfield Police Officer Derrick Gentry-Mitchell, age 29, of Springfield

Perjury

Misleading a Police Officer/Investigator/Grand Jury

Filing a False Police Report

Springfield Police Officer James D’Amour, age 42, of Hampden

Perjury

Misleading a Police Officer/Investigator

Filing a False Police Report

Springfield Police Officer John Wajdula, age 34, of Springfield

Perjury

Misleading a Police Officer/Investigator/Federal Agent

Filing a False Police Report

Former Springfield Police Officer Nathaniel Perez, age 27, of West Springfield

Perjury

Misleading a Police Officer/Investigator

Filing a False Police Report

Springfield Police Officer Melissa Rodriguez, age 32, of Springfield

Perjury

Bar Manager Joseph Sullivan, age 42, of Hampden

Perjury

Misleading a Police Officer/Federal Agent/Investigator/Grand Jury

All defendants will be arraigned in Hampden and/or Worcester Superior Courts at later dates.

These criminal charges are the result of a joint ongoing investigation by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division. The AG’s Office alleges that on April 8, 2015, off-duty Springfield Police Department officers Billingsley, Anthony and Christian Cicero, Basovskiy, Williams, and Diaz and bar owner John Sullivan, physically assaulted four victims after a confrontation at Nathan Bills Bar & Restaurant in Springfield. The victims had already left the bar when the defendants allegedly located them down the street and assaulted them. The victims were allegedly beaten and kicked, and sustained significant injuries as a result of the assault, some permanent. The AG’s Office and the FBI collected statements from victims and witnesses, phone records, and video evidence that led to the identification of the defendants and these charges.

The AG’s Office also alleges that after the assault, nine Springfield Police officers as well as John Sullivan and Joseph Sullivan (no relation) were a part of a long-standing and ongoing cover up of the assault. John Sullivan allegedly misled the FBI during the course of the investigation, and Diaz gave misleading statements in an interview with the Internal Investigations Unit of the Springfield Police Department. Nguyen, Lewis, Bortolussi, Gentry-Mitchell, D’Amour, Wajdula, Perez, Rodriguez, and Joseph Sullivan all allegedly committed perjury by lying when testifying in front of the Statewide Grand Jury, and many of these defendants also misled authorities and/or filed false police reports during the investigation.

These charges are allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Stephen Carley and Senior Trial Counsel Dean Mazzone, both of AG Healey’s Criminal Bureau, with assistance from the FBI Boston Division, Massachusetts State Police assigned to the AG’s Office, and Victim Witness Advocate Ellen Davis of the AG’s Office.

#Western MA news #westernmanews

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