Guilty conviction obtained for Machete Man

Justice triumphs once again! The hard-working people of the Berkshire Attorney’s Office found a Pittsfield man guilty of threatening people with a large machete.

On Tuesday, a Central Berkshire District Court jury found 40-year-old Craig Mills guilty of assault with a lethal weapon and misconduct. The jury acquitted Mills of another charge of assault with a lethal weapon.

The jury found that Mills stood outside the victims’ home on May 23 and began brandishing the gun and making threats. Judge Paul Smyth sentenced Mills to two and a half years in Berkshire County House of Correction, 18 months direct, with the balance suspended.

The Commonwealth petitioned the court for 18 months’ imprisonment in the House of Correction. The defense attorney asked the court to sentence Mills to a previously served prison term while she awaited trial.

District Attorney Andrea Harington said in a media statement:

I thank the Pittsfield Police Department for their response that evening and the jury for their service. People shouldn’t be afraid in their own four walls. This conviction makes the perpetrator responsible for the harm he has caused.

About the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office:

District Attorney Andrea Harrington’s office serves all 32 towns and cities in Berkshire County. The office represents the Commonwealth in more than 7,500 criminal cases per year in the Berkshire Superior Court, three district courts, three juvenile courts, the Massachusetts Appeals Court and the Supreme Judicial Court.

The office works closely with the State Police Detective Unit attached to the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office, the Berkshire Law Enforcement Task Force, and works with local law enforcement agencies across the county.

A dedicated staff of 50+ will prioritize public safety, empower victims and witnesses through service and support, and build a safe community for all and especially the most vulnerable.

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