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Man Indicted For Hate Crime Offenses Relating To Arson Of Church In Springfield Man Indicted For Hate Crime Offenses Relating To Arson Of Church In Springfield
Man Indicted For Hate Crime Offenses Relating To Arson Of Church In Springfield A New England man has been indicted for hate crimes in connection to a fire that destroyed a predominantly Black church in Western Massachusetts. Dushko Vulchev, age 45, of Houlton, Maine, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Thursday, Feb. 10 on four counts of damage to religious property involving fire and one count of use of fire to commit a federal felony for a fire in Springfield at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Presbyterian Church in Hampden County. He was previously charged on a criminal complaint in April 2021. According to court documents, early on Dec. 28, 2020, police…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Wanted Man Nabbed With Firearms After BMW Stopped In Springfield Wanted Man Nabbed With Firearms After BMW Stopped In Springfield
Wanted Man Nabbed With Firearms After BMW Stopped In Springfield A routine traffic stop for a driver with expired license plates in a BMW led to the arrest of a wanted man in Western Massachusetts, state police announced. Shortly before 1 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 7, troopers on patrol in Hampden County were on patrol on Route 91 in Springfield when they spotted a gray BMW X3 with expired license plates, prompting a traffic stop. During the subsequent stop, police said that the driver, Chicopee resident James Douchette, age 42, informed troopers that he did not have a license when asked for one, and it was confirmed that his license was suspended. According …

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Large Amount Of Fentanyl, Cocaine, Ammo Seized In Springfield, Suspected Trafficker Charged Large Amount Of Fentanyl, Cocaine, Ammo Seized In Springfield, Suspected Trafficker Charged
Large Amount Of Fentanyl, Cocaine, Ammo Seized In Springfield, Suspected Trafficker Charged A man has been charged after police said a search warrant executed at his apartment in Western Massachusetts led to the seizure of large quantities of suspected fentanyl, cocaine and ammunition. Juan Ramos-Cotto, age 35, was arrested following a search of his apartment on Clifton Ave. in Springfield on the morning of Tuesday, Feb. 8, according to Massachusetts State Police.  Authorities reportedly located the following while executing the search warrant: About 300 grams of suspected fentanyl More than 100 grams of suspected cocaine More than 150 rounds of ammunition Police said Ramos…

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by Nicole Valinote
Police & Fire
One Hospitalized After House Fire Breaks Out In Springfield One Hospitalized After House Fire Breaks Out In Springfield
One Hospitalized After House Fire Breaks Out In Springfield One person was hospitalized after a house fire broke out in Western Massachusetts. The fire started in Springfield on Tuesday morning, Feb. 8 at 247 Trafton Road. One person was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries following the fire, according to Springfield Fire and Emergency Services. The Springfield Arson and Bomb Squad is working to determine what started the fire, which is believed to have begun in the basement, the department said.

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
COVID-19: Hospitalized Springfield Police Officer Battling For His Life After Contracting Virus COVID-19: Hospitalized Springfield Police Officer Battling For His Life After Contracting Virus
Covid-19: Hospitalized Springfield Police Officer Battling For His Life After Contracting Virus A longtime Western Massachusetts police officer is fighting for his life in a hospital after contracting COVID-19. Officer Jamie Kelly of Springfield, a member of the Springfield Police Department since 2008 and the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department before that, has been on a ventilator for more than two weeks after contracting the virus, a GoFundMe effort said. Although Kelly has shown slight improvement in the past few days, the GoFundMe said, there is still a long way to go. “Jamie is a 2nd generation Springfield Police Officer and a lifelong Springfield resident. He is a hard-workin…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
COVID-19: Springfield Woman Admits To Fraud Related To Pandemic COVID-19: Springfield Woman Admits To Fraud Related To Pandemic
Covid-19: Springfield Woman Admits To Fraud Related To Pandemic A Western Massachusetts woman admitted to a $1.2 million unemployment fraud scheme that she ran during the COVID-19 pandemic to illegally obtain unemployment benefits. Audri Ford-Victory, age 61, of Springfield, pleaded guilty in US District Court to one count of wire fraud in connection to her involvement in a scheme with a co-conspirator to profit from the pandemic. Prosecutors said that Ford-Victory and her co-conspirator submitted more than 100 fraudulent Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claims resulting in more than $1.2 million in payments. Approximately half of the PUA claims…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Teen Trio Nabbed For Murder Of Chicopee Man Teen Trio Nabbed For Murder Of Chicopee Man
Teen Trio Nabbed For Murder Of Chicopee Man Three 17-year-olds have been arrested in connection with the murder of a Western Massachusetts man. Hampden County residents Andres Torres and Luis Torres, both of Chicopee, and Luis Vasquez, of Springfield, have been arrested in connection with the Monday, Jan. 3, shooting death of Kelvin Cruz-Lopez, 23, of Chicopee, said the Hampden County District Attorney's Office. According to Chicopee Police, the murder was uncovered around 10:30 p.m. when officers responded to 190 East Street for a report of a single-vehicle crash.   As officers arrived they located Cruz-Lop…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Suspect Shot, Cop Hospitalized In Officer-Involved Shooting Incident In Springfield Suspect Shot, Cop Hospitalized In Officer-Involved Shooting Incident In Springfield
Suspect Shot, Cop Hospitalized In Officer-Involved Shooting Incident In Springfield Police in Western Massachusetts are investigating following an officer-involved shooting that left one shot and a police officer injured. The incident took place in Hampden County just after midnight on Thursday, Jan. 27, when a Springfield officer assigned to the Gaming Enforcement Unit was responding to investigate an incident when he located a suspect on Court Square Avenue, said Ryan Walsh, spokesman for the Springfield Police Department. The suspect, an adult male, assaulted the officer with a dangerous weapon and fled on foot before entering a parking garage on the 0-100 block of…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
16-Year-Old Suspect Nabbed After Shots Fired In Springfield 16-Year-Old Suspect Nabbed After Shots Fired In Springfield
16-Year-Old Suspect Nabbed After Shots Fired In Springfield A 16-year-old teen was arrested in Western Mass after he allegedly pulled out a handgun and fired two shots. The incident took place on Thursday, Jan. 20, near Meredith Street in Springfield. Officers of the Springfield Police Firearms Investigation Unit were conducting surveillance on Eldridge Street when several individuals walked out of a home, including the person officers were investigating, according to Springfield Police spokesperson Ryan Walsh. The group walked down the street towards Meredith Street when the teen pulled out a handgun and fired two shots, Walsh said. No one was hi…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Fairfield County Man Killed In I-91 Crash Fairfield County Man Killed In I-91 Crash
Fairfield County Man Killed In I-91 Crash Police are seeking witnesses to a crash on I-91 that claimed the life of a Connecticut man. Fairfield County resident Terrence McNichol, age 47, of Bridgeport, was killed around 2:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 20, during a crash with another vehicle on I-91 in Hartford County in Rocky Hill, said the Connecticut State Police. According to the state police, McNichol was driving in the right lane of three when he lost control of his 2013 Nissan Altima and veered to the right striking a 2008 Ford F-350 driven by Arcangel Junior Gonzalez, 29, of Springfield, Massachusetts. The Nissan then veered to t…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Man Charged With Assault, Battery Of Police In Hampden County Man Charged With Assault, Battery Of Police In Hampden County
Man Charged With Assault, Battery Of Police In Hampden County A Western Massachusetts man has been arrested for allegedly assaulting several police officers as they attempted to arrest him. Hampden County resident Norman Lafond, age 44, of Springfield, was arrested around 1:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 14 after Ludlow Police received calls of a suspicious male. According to Ludlow Police, callers told officers that Lafond was allegedly falling all over the road and into snowbanks. When police arrived in the area they found Lafond drunk and deemed him a safety risk to himself. Officers attempted to place Lafond into protective custody when Lafond became viol…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Alert Issued For Missing Springfield Woman Alert Issued For Missing Springfield Woman
Alert Issued For Missing Springfield Woman Seen her? Police in Western Massachusetts are seeking the public’s assistance in locating a missing 30-year-old woman who could be in need of medical attention. An alert was issued in Hampden County by the Springfield Police Department as they look to track down Joan Elvers-Fahey, who was reported missing on Tuesday, Jan. 18, and has not been in contact with her family since Monday, Jan. 17. Elvers-Fahey was described as being 5-foot-4 weighing 190 pounds. She has a tattoo of stars on the left side of her neck and the word “LOVE” on the right side. Police said she is known to frequent P…

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by Zak Failla