Major North Adams Drug Raid Nets Five Arrests, Guns and 1,650 Bags
Police say a coordinated Berkshire County investigation uncovered heroin and fentanyl, cocaine, three loaded firearms and drug-distribution materials inside a North Adams residence.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. Five people were arrested after a North Adams drug raid that police say resulted in the seizure of roughly 1,650 bags containing suspected heroin and fentanyl, nearly 59 grams of cocaine and three loaded firearms. The Aug. 19 operation involved local police and regional law enforcement teams and led to drug trafficking and, for some defendants, firearms charges.
The arrests followed the execution of a search warrant at a residence at 162 Mohawk Forest Boulevard in North Adams, according to published reports citing the North Adams Police Department. The case represents a significant seizure for a small western Massachusetts community that has faced the same opioid and illegal drug pressures affecting communities across the Northeast.
The Phoenix reviewed multiple reports and government information while preparing this story, following our policy of excluding details that could not be independently supported.
Five People Arrested in North Adams Drug Investigation
Members of the North Adams Police Department, Berkshire Law Enforcement Task Force and Berkshire County Special Response Team executed the search warrant on Wednesday, Aug. 19.
Police identified the five defendants as:
- Jaylen Graham, of Springfield
- James Bennett, of Springfield
- James Davis, of Chicopee
- Lindley Wright, of North Adams
- Scott Delmolino, of North Adams
Investigators alleged that cocaine was being flushed down a toilet as members of the Special Response Team entered the residence.
Authorities reported recovering approximately:
- 1,650 bags of suspected heroin/fentanyl, weighing about 33 grams in total
- 59 grams of cocaine
- U.S. currency
- Functioning digital scales
- Drug-distribution materials
- Three loaded firearms
The quantity of individual bags is significant because drugs packaged in small bags are often prepared for street-level distribution rather than personal possession. However, the criminal charges remain allegations, and prosecutors must prove their case in court.
Three Loaded Guns Recovered
Investigators reported recovering three loaded firearms during the search.
According to reporting based on police information, those weapons included:
- A Smith & Wesson M&P .45-caliber handgun loaded with 11 rounds. Police said its serial number had been defaced.
- A Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun loaded with 11 rounds.
- An American Tactical AR-15-style .556 pistol loaded with 28 rounds.
The presence of loaded firearms adds another level of concern to an investigation already involving alleged drug trafficking.
Massachusetts prosecutors have previously pursued cases in Berkshire County involving the combination of narcotics and firearms. The Berkshire District Attorney’s Office says it works with local departments, the State Police Detective Unit and the Berkshire Law Enforcement Task Force in investigations involving serious crime throughout the county.
What Charges Do the Five Defendants Face?
Police said Graham, Bennett and Davis face allegations that include:
- Trafficking cocaine
- Trafficking heroin
- Firearms offenses
- Destruction of evidence
- Conspiracy
Wright and Delmolino were charged with trafficking cocaine, trafficking heroin and conspiracy, according to reports.
The exact charges and their ultimate disposition will be determined through the Massachusetts court system.
It is important to emphasize that an arrest is not a conviction. All five defendants are presumed innocent unless and until prosecutors prove the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt.
That distinction matters in every criminal case, particularly during the early stages of an investigation when much of the information available to the public comes from law enforcement.
Four Defendants Remained in Custody
The five defendants were arraigned in Northern Berkshire District Court.
Published reports indicate that James Davis was held without the right to bail following a dangerousness hearing.
Graham and Bennett were also reported held without bail pending dangerousness proceedings.
Wright was held on $5,000 cash bail, while Delmolino was released on his own recognizance.
Western Mass News reported that four of the five defendants remained in custody following the arrests.
The Berkshire District Attorney’s Office is responsible for criminal prosecutions throughout Berkshire County, including cases originating in North Adams. State records say the office handles thousands of cases each year in district, juvenile and superior courts as well as appeals.
A Regional Drug Enforcement Challenge
The case also highlights how drug distribution can cross municipal boundaries.
Three of the five defendants were listed as residents of Springfield or Chicopee, while two were from North Adams.
Berkshire County District Attorney Timothy Shugrue has previously pointed to drug trafficking between the Springfield area and Berkshire County.
In a separate 2023 prosecution involving drugs and a firearm, Shugrue said there was an “active drug trafficking route from Springfield into the Berkshires.”
That earlier case is separate from the current North Adams investigation, but it provides context for why Berkshire County authorities frequently conduct investigations through multi-agency task forces.
Law enforcement agencies argue that regional cooperation allows departments to combine investigators, intelligence and specialized units when suspected trafficking crosses city or county boundaries.
Why the Heroin and Fentanyl Seizure Matters
Fentanyl has fundamentally changed the risks surrounding the illegal opioid supply.
The North Adams seizure was described by police as approximately 1,650 bags of heroin/fentanyl. Authorities did not publicly provide laboratory results in the reporting reviewed by The Phoenix, so it would be premature to state the exact chemical contents of each individual bag.
That distinction is important.
Field descriptions can guide criminal investigations, but laboratory testing generally provides more definitive identification of seized substances.
For residents, the central issue goes beyond the arrest numbers. Communities across the Northeast continue to confront the consequences of opioid addiction, overdose deaths and an unpredictable illegal drug supply.
Enforcement is one part of the response. Treatment, prevention, recovery services, mental health care and harm-reduction programs also remain essential tools for reducing overdose deaths.
Those approaches are sometimes presented as competing policies. They do not have to be.
Police can target people accused of trafficking dangerous drugs and illegal firearms while communities simultaneously expand services for people struggling with substance-use disorders.
What Happens Next?
The criminal cases will now move through Massachusetts courts.
Prosecutors will be required to establish that the evidence supports each charge, while defense attorneys will have the opportunity to challenge searches, evidence and the government’s allegations.
Important questions may become clearer as the cases progress, including:
- Whether laboratory testing confirms the substances seized
- Whether additional arrests or charges are filed
- How prosecutors connect specific drugs and firearms to individual defendants
- Whether any defendants seek changes in bail
- Whether the cases move from District Court into Superior Court
Those developments should come from court records or verified statements from authorities rather than speculation.
A Major Seizure, but the Court Process Has Just Begun
The North Adams drug raid removed what police described as more than 1,600 bags of suspected heroin and fentanyl, nearly 59 grams of cocaine and three loaded firearms from a Mohawk Forest Boulevard residence.
Five people now face serious allegations.
For law enforcement, the seizure represents the result of a coordinated regional investigation. For the courts, however, the process is only beginning.
Residents should remember both sides of that equation: communities deserve protection from illegal drug trafficking and gun violence, while defendants are entitled to due process and the presumption of innocence.
The Phoenix will continue to follow the case as verified court information and official updates become available.
