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Drug Ring Bust Leads To 20 Convictions In Western Mass

Authorities in Western Massachusetts are celebrating as two men, busted as part of a drug ring in 2021, pled guilty on Thursday, June 8. That makes 20 felony convictions since investigators began dismantling the operation in 2021, officials said. 

A multi-agency effort that began dismantling a Western Massachusetts drug ring in 2021 has netted prosecutors more than a dozen plea deals, $80,000 in forfeited cash, and prison sentences adding up to 30-40 years.

A multi-agency effort that began dismantling a Western Massachusetts drug ring in 2021 has netted prosecutors more than a dozen plea deals, $80,000 in forfeited cash, and prison sentences adding up to 30-40 years.

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Josh Lanier
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Jason Nadeau, 42, of Ludlow, pleaded guilty to two felony charges of trafficking cocaine and one of conspiracy, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said. 

David Gallegos, 30, of Deerfield, will serve a year of probation after a judge continued without a finding a charge of conspiracy, the prosecutor said. 

These are part of a multi-agency effort to disrupt a drug ring that has netted prosecutors more than a dozen plea deals, $80,000 in forfeited cash, and prison sentences adding up to 30-40 years, officials said. 

Those arrested include defendants from Greenfield, Deerfield, Montague, Ludlow, Charlemont, and West Springfield.

They include: 

  • Brothers Daniel Rice Jr., 40, West Springfield, and Brandon Rice, 37, Hatfield, each 5-8 years in state prison trafficking cocaine charges; Daniel Rice also received a concurrent 5-8 year sentence on conspiracy and 5-6 years concurrent on money laundering. Brandon Rice received 5-8 years concurrent on a conspiracy charge. The cases were resolved in court on April 18.
  • David Caplice, 40, Greenfield, 3-5 years in state prison on a charge of trafficking and a concurrent 3-5 year term on a charge of conspiracy, on May 2.
  • Jason Byrd, 43, Greenfield, 3-5 years in state prison on a charge of conspiracy to violate drug laws, on May 25.
  • Nathan Ortiz, 40, Greenfield, 3-5 years in state prison on a charge of trafficking and concurrent 3-5 year terms on charges of trafficking and conspiracy, on May 2. 
  • Robert Blake, 48, Greenfield, 1-year prison on a charge of conspiracy, on May 30. 
  • Wayne Rockwood, 44, Greenfield, two years on probation on a charge of conspiracy while a trafficking charge was dropped on May 31. 
  • Raeline Phelps, 59, West Springfield, two years on probation on a conspiracy charge while a trafficking charge was dropped on April 18;
  • Damien Johnson, 34, Greenfield, and Nicole Perkins, 28, Greenfield, had their conspiracy cases continued without finding for a year on May 5 and April 18, respectively. 
  • Rebekah Thompson, 39, Charlemont, had a charge of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute continued without a finding for a year. Prosecutors dropped a conspiracy charge on April 20. 

The Northwestern District Anti-Crime Task Force headed the investigation and featured officers and agents from State Police, the Franklin and Hampshire County Sheriff’s offices, and police departments in Athol, Belchertown,Bernardston, Deerfield, Easthampton, Greenfield, Hadley, Montague, Northampton, Orange, and South Hadley. 

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