GREENFIELD — Franklin County Superior Court on Friday afternoon saw nine pleas of not guilty entered in connection with an alleged cocaine trafficking syndicate that had been operating out of a Greenfield barbershop.

Jason Nadeau, 40, of Ludlow, and Nathan Ortiz, 39, of Greenfield, were charged with trafficking in cocaine, 200 grams or more, and conspiracy to violate drug laws. Both are held at the Franklin County Jail and House of Correction and were the only defendants who attended Friday’s arraignment remotely. Nadeau’s bail is $300,000 cash or $500,000 surety, while Ortiz’s bail was set at $50,000.

Chief Trial Counsel Jeremy Bucci, who is prosecuting the cases associated with the alleged syndicate that prompted a seven-month investigation by more than a dozen law enforcement agencies, told Judge Francis Flannery that Ortiz is a flight risk because he has 12 appearance defaults on his record and was out on bail for a domestic assault charge when he was arrested on the drug charges. Bucci also said Ortiz was essentially “a lieutenant” in the alleged drug operation.

According to the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office, brothers Daniel G. Rice, of Hatfield, and Brandon M. Rice, of West Springfield, were the alleged leaders of the trafficking group. Daniel Rice owned and operated Dapper Dan’s Barbershop on Chapman Street in Greenfield, a location the DA’s office believes was a part of the alleged operation. The barbershop is now closed.

In February, Daniel Rice and Brandon Rice were ordered held on $30,000 and $5,000 bail, respectively, while the figure was set at $100,000 for alleged accomplice David B. Caplice of Greenfield.

Ortiz’s defense attorney, Tyler Ingraham — who said he has learned since his client’s arraignment in Greenfield District Court in December 2021 that a conflict of interest will prevent him from representing Ortiz after the March 11 arraignment — argued that his client’s most recent appearance default occurred in 2014, when Ortiz was not yet a father. He said Ortiz now has strong ties to his community and, rebutting Bucci’s claim of Ortiz being a lieutenant, said his client could be compared to “an employee” of the alleged operation.

Raeline Phelps, 57, faces charges of trafficking in cocaine, 200 grams or more, conspiracy to violate drug laws, and possession or transportation of a monetary instrument for money laundering. Bucci explained Phelps is out on $25,000 bail that was set in Greenfield District Court and asked Flannery to simply transfer that bail to Superior Court.

Jaimilee Bontempi, 29, Jason Byrd, 42, David Gallegos, 28, Damien Johnson, 33, and Cheri Gallegos, 34, were charged with conspiracy to violate drug laws. All were released on personal recognizance except for Byrd, who is out on $10,000 bail that has been transferred to Superior Court. Bucci said David and Cheri Gallegos are siblings.

Rebekah Thompson, 39, was charged with trafficking in cocaine, 200 grams or more, and conspiracy to violate drug laws. She was released on personal recognizance.

Bucci told the Greenfield Recorder that Heather L. Symanski, of Greenfield, who also faces charges in connection to the alleged cocaine trafficking syndicate and was out on $3,000 bail, was again arrested on drug charges around the time Friday’s slew of connected arraignments took place.

Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or
413-772-0261, ext. 262.

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