Pittsfield city councilor indicted on drug charges

PITTSFIELD, Mass. (AP) - A Pittsfield city councilor has been indicted by a grand jury amid allegations that he bought illegal prescription painkillers and tipped off a dealer concerning a pending drug bust.

Paul Capitanio, 57, was indicted Monday on charges of conspiracy to possess oxycodone and accessory after the fact.

Capitanio was buying oxycodone pills from a dealer in August when he gave him information about an upcoming raid, state police said.

The dealer was caught on tape during a wiretap investigation telling an alleged drug kingpin that a "councilman friend" had tipped him off about upcoming drug raids, according to police reports. The dealer allegedly later told police he was referring to Capitanio.

Capitanio's attorney, Timothy Shugrue, told The Berkshire Eagle that his client denies the allegations and is not an addict.

Shugrue said he has not seen evidence in the case.

Capitanio has been a city councilor since 2009. He announced earlier this year that he would not seek re-election and has been abstaining from council proceedings.

He remains free on $500 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned in Berkshire Superior Court on Oct. 31.

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