Pittsfield man receives 25 years for drug trafficking and firearms charges

PITTSFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Jason McFadden, a resident of Pittsfield, was sentenced to 25 years in prison at Berkshire Superior Court Wednesday.

McFadden pleaded guilty to a charge of Armed Career Criminal after a related August jury trial resulted in 13 guilty verdicts. The convictions were the culmination of a 2018 search warrant executed on McFadden’s residence, which revealed a cache of illegal firearms and evidence suggesting he was running an illicit drug operation from his home.

McFadden, 43, originally requested a bench trial but ultimately entered a guilty plea. He will serve 15 years before becoming eligible for parole, followed by five years of probation, effectively placing him under court supervision for the next 30 years.

District Attorney Shugrue remarked after sentencing, “For 20 years Jason McFadden has brought drugs to our community. For 20 years he has caused violence. With this sentence I can say Jason McFadden has finally been held accountable. Today Pittsfield is a safer place.”

The search of McFadden’s residence uncovered $62,290 in cash and drug packaging equipment used to press kilos of cocaine, indicating he was operating an extensive drug distribution operation. Despite reporting as unemployed, McFadden was found with this significant cash sum, suggesting he had already sold most of his drug stash and was preparing to resupply.

Moreover, McFadden’s criminal history dates back to November 2002 when he was arrested for distributing crack cocaine to an undercover police officer. In 2003, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a year in the House of Corrections. However, the statute called for a 10-year-plus sentence.

McFadden continued his criminal activities, including selling crack cocaine to an undercover officer in 2005, leading to his arrest. After posting bail, he failed to appear in court, resulting in a warrant for his arrest.

In 2008, he was arrested in New York with over half a kilo of cocaine, valued at $50,000. He was convicted of drug dealing in New York.

In April 2009, McFadden pled guilty to the 2005 drug sale charge in Massachusetts and was sentenced to 7 to 9 years. He was paroled in 2017.

In 2018, the Berkshire County Drug Task Force received information about McFadden’s drug dealing activities. Subsequent undercover purchases led to a search warrant on his resident in September 2018, which uncovered five illegal firearms, all loaded, including one high-capacity firearm.

The judge expressed gratitude to the law enforcement officers for their handling of the matter.

Guilty Charges from August 23, 2023 Jury Trial:

• Illegal Possession of a Large Capacity Weapon (1 Count)
• Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony (3 Counts)
• Possession of a Large Capacity Firearm during the Commission of a Felony (1 Count)
• Illegal Possession of a Large Capacity Feeding Device (1 Count)
• Improper Storage of a Firearm (3 Counts)
• Illegal Ownership of a Firearm (3 Counts)
• Possession of cocaine with the Intent to Distribute (1 Count)