North Adams man pleads guilty to intent to distribute heroin

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. (WWLP) — A North Adams man has agreed in a deal to plead guilty to several charges for possession of an illegal firearm, ammunition, and heroin.

In court on Wednesday, 31-year-old John Bump Jr. of North Adams pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a firearm, possession with the intent to distribute heroin, and possession of ammunition. As part of a plea deal, the charge of illegal possession of a large-capacity firearm was dismissed.

North Adams and Adams police were conducting a drug investigation in March at Bump's home. On March 9, officers were preparing to conduct a search warrant when Bump was seen leaving his home with a backpack and getting into a vehicle. Officers stopped the car and searched Bump, seizing $470 in cash and 70 wax baggies of heroin. They also searched the backpack and seized a Ruger 9mm handgun, a magazine with 14 rounds of ammunition, 300 wax baggies of heroin and $10,290 in cash.

Bump has been sentenced to 3.5 years in jail and is required to complete an in-custody drug treatment program at the Berkshire County House of Correction. When he is released from prison, he must also complete two years of probation including drug treatment and counseling, as well as random drug screenings and must not possess any weapons.