News  Berkshire District Attorney’s Office Obtains Guilty Verdicts in Jaden Salois Murder Trial

PITTSFIELD — The Berkshire District Attorney's Office obtained guilty convictions for two individuals who murdered 18-year-old Jaden Salois.

On Thursday, after more than two weeks of trial, a Berkshire Superior Court jury found Chiry Omar Pascual-Polanco, 26, and Carlos Pascual-Polanco, 22, both of Pittsfield, guilty of murder in the first degree, 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.

Judge Douglas Wilkins will schedule sentencing for a later date. First-degree murder convictions carry a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
The brothers operated a marijuana distribution operation through a fake social media account and used that to lure Salois, of Dalton, from an Edward Avenue home in Pittsfield and shot him in the back at approximately 2 a.m. on January 20, 2019. The brothers then planned methods to avoid prosecution, which investigators uncovered.

Police arrested the brothers on April 5, 2019. The Commonwealth called more than 30 witnesses during the two-week trial and proved that the pair acted premeditatedly in orchestrating the murder.

"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. Gun violence has no place in our community.”

A third co-defendant, Dasean Smith, 24, of Pittsfield, is also charged with murder and will be tried separately.

Berkshire District Attorney Andrea Harrington’s office serves all 32 cities and towns in Berkshire County. The office represents the Commonwealth in more than 7,500 criminal cases per year in Berkshire Superior Court, three district courts, three juvenile courts, Massachusetts Appeals Court, and Supreme
Judicial Court. The office works closely with the State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office, the Berkshire Law Enforcement Task Force, and collaborates with local police departments across the county. A dedicated staff of more than 50 prioritizes public safety, empowering victims and witnesses through services and support, and building a safe community for everyone and especially the most vulnerable.