Brothers Get Life In Prison For 2019 Pittsfield Murder
I've said it before and I'll say it again, Berkshire County. It's not often that REAL justice gets served, but every so often, the scales of justice weigh heavily in the prosecution's favor.
Of course, nothing will bring back the deceased, Jaden Salois, but the outcome should help bring some closure to his family. According to a media statement from Andrew McKeever and the Berkshire District Attorney's Office, guilty verdicts were obtained for the two individuals responsible for his death.
The media statement reports that, after a trial that lasted more than two weeks, a jury found two Pittsfield brothers, Chiry Omar Pascual-Polanco, 26, and Carlos Pascual-Polanco, 22, guilty of murder in the first degree, a charge which carries a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
Both men were also found guilty of two counts of possession of a firearm without an FID, two counts of possession of ammunition without an FID, and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.
On January 20, 2019, at approximately 2 a.m., police were dispatched to Edward Avenue in Pittsfield near Elm Street to look into a report of a possible gunshot victim. Pittsfield Police Officers found the victim's body.
Apparently, the two brothers were running a marijuana distribution center through a fake social media account. The DA says the brothers used that fake account to lure Salois, of Dalton, from a home on Edward Avenue and then shot him in the back.
There is a third suspect in the crime, Dasean Smith, 24 of Pittsfield, who is also charged with murder. Smith will be tried separately. Berkshire District Attorney Andrea Harrington had this to say on the matter:
"I send my condolences to Jaden's loved ones. While nothing will bring him back, I am grateful that there is a measure of accountability for his cruel and senseless murder. This was the first homicide of my administration, and I am proud of the investigators and the trial team for their compelling presentation of the evidence that ultimately led to these convictions.
Nice job, especially for the prosecutors who put forth a compelling case and called more than 30 witnesses to provide testimony during the trial. Great work, everybody!