NORTHAMPTON — A Springfield man will serve 16 to 18 years in state prison following his conviction on firearm and drug trafficking charges related to a 2023 traffic stop in Pelham.
Michael Ruiz, 39, was convicted on Jan. 21 by a Hampshire Superior Court jury of trafficking in 200-plus grams of cocaine, trafficking in 10-plus grams of fentanyl, and various firearm charges stemming from the stop made by Massachusetts State Police on Nov. 28, 2023, on Route 202.
Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Trapani’s sentence, ordered Wednesday, includes a 12-year mandatory minimum. Ruiz’s sentence was enhanced by his status as an armed career criminal, due to having multiple prior convictions for crimes of violence and drug dealing, including a 2009 conviction in Hampden Superior Court for manslaughter.
The prison sentence was jointly recommended by First Assistant District Attorney Steven E. Gagne, who prosecuted the case, and Springfield defense attorney Joe A. Smith III, who represented Ruiz. Ruiz will receive 749 days of credit toward his sentence for the time he was held on bail awaiting trial.
During the stop in 2023, a State Police trooper conducted an inventory search of the vehicle, locating a locked backpack on the rear floor of the car, partially tucked underneath the front passenger seat. Upon opening the backpack, police discovered a loaded large-capacity semiautomatic .40 caliber Glock firearm, approximately 219 grams of cocaine, 450 bags of fentanyl totaling 12.52 grams and a digital scale.