Pittsfield man sentenced to 15 years in 2023 violent stabbing

PITTSFIELD, Mass. (NEWS10)– A Pittsfield man was sentenced to 15 years in prison for a 2023 near-deadly stabbing incident. Walter Gadson, 30, was found guilty of multiple charges and was sentenced as a frequent offender, according to the Berkshire County District Attorney’s Office.

Gadson was convicted on five charges including assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury and on Friday, was found guilty of being a habitual criminal offender, requiring him to serve the full 15-year sentence on the assault charge without the possibility of parole or good time credit.

The charges stem from a violent stabbing on November 28, 2023.

Officials said Gadson confronted a woman—who had a restraining order against him—and a male companion inside a Pittsfield bar. After being escorted out of the bar, Gadson waited outside, and attacked the man as he left. He reportedly slashed the man across the neck, then grabbed the woman by the throat, blaming her for the incident.

The male victim was rushed to the Berkshire Medical Center, where testimony confirmed if he did not receive immediate care, the victim would have died.

“This case presented significant challenges, particularly the fear instilled in victims and witnesses by Mr. Gadson. He terrorized one victim for an extended period and nearly killed another,” District Attorney Timothy Shugrue said. “Thanks to the courage of those who testified, and the dedicated work of Assistant District Attorney Amy Winston and Victim Witness Advocate Krista Avery, an extremely dangerous individual has now been removed from our community.”

According to prosecutors, Gadson received concurrent sentences of two years for use without authority, two-and-a-half years each on two counts of violating an abuse prevention order, and five years for aggravated assault and battery.

The DA’s Office said he was charged as a Habitual Criminal Offender due to his prior felony convictions. According to officials, previous convictions include a 2012 conviction of armed robbery and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon in Massachusetts and a 2019 conviction of aggravated assault on a police officer in Georgia, in which an arrest warrant remains active for a parole violation.

“Walter Gadson received the maximum sentence for each crime of which he was convicted, reflecting the severity of his actions. I cannot stress enough the extreme level of terror and violence he rained down on his victims,” Shugrue said. “I thank the court, including judge and jury, for their diligence and commitment to justice, not for only the victims for the safety of the Berkshires and beyond.”

The investigation was led by the Pittsfield Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Amy Winston.

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