After his prison sentence, Drew will continue on probation for his earlier convictions until approximately 2025.
NORTHAMPTON – A Belchertown man was convicted Monday in Hampshire Superior Court of larceny over $250, misleading a police investigation, and threatening a state trooper in connection with selling an industrial rock crusher that belonged to a Conway man and keeping the proceeds.
Judge Daniel Ford, who presided over the jury-waived trial, sentenced Dennis A. Drew, 53, to 3 to 4 years in state prison.
While the owner thought Drew was merely advertising the crusher, Drew sold it for $130,000 to a Connecticut businessman, who later had to seize it from Drew’s business, D.A.D. Sales and Leasing, in Belchertown.
When suspicions arose, Drew told the owner and state police investigators conflicting stories of the crusher’s whereabouts. He also challenged a trooper investigating the case to a fist-fight, which the trooper declined.
At the time, Drew was on probation for swindling investors out of hundreds of thousands of dollars in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. In those cases, Drew pleaded guilty to selling heavy equipment he did not own, as well as failing to return investors’ deposits after “quick-profit” schemes fell through.
Drew was sentenced to probation on those convictions, and has paying restitution.
After his prison sentence, he will continue on probation for his earlier convictions until approximately 2025.