Tuesday November 6, 2012

ADAMS -- The raid of a Summer Street apartment was at the root of a sentence handed down to one town man and the arraignment of a town woman in Northern Berkshire District Court in North Adams on Tuesday, and authorities say charges against a third individual are on the way.

Mark A. Durant, 46, of Summer Street in Adams, was the man sentenced Tuesday, given a prison term of two years after admitting to sufficient facts and being found guilty on charges of one count of subsequent offense possession to distribute of a Class D drug -- marijuana, possession to distribute of a Class B drug -- Percocet, conspiracy to violate the drug law and distribution of a Class D drug. Durant has 33 days credit for time served.

The woman, Joy Jansen, 37, of Summer Street in Adams, was arraigned on identical charges in the court Tuesday and has a pretrial hearing scheduled for Dec. 18. Jansen allegedly took part in the illegal drug distribution operation that centered at the Summer Street apartment.

The Oct. 5 raid, according to a report written by Adams Police Detective Lawrence Ordyna, resulted in illegal items being seized from the apartment, including marijuana with a total street value of $1,700 and Percocet with a total street value of about $180. In addition to the drugs, authorities took $360 in cash from the scene.

Berkshire County Drug Task Force conducted the raid by way of a "knock and announce" search warrant. Ordyna’s


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report said Durant was cooperative during the search and that he led authorities to a marijuana growing room in the apartment’s attic crawl space. Durant also turned over eight 15-milligram Percocet pills.

In an interview after the raid, Ordyna said an investigation involving Durant had been ongoing for several years, initially brought to the task force’s attention by a combination of neighborhood complaints and information from informants.

A third individual, who before the raid had allegedly supplied Durant with Percocet every month from a prescription, is scheduled to be arraigned next week.

To reach Phil Demers, email pdemers@thetranscript.com.