SPRINGFIELD, MA – A Vermont man with ties to the Hell’s Angels Motorcycle Club is headed to federal prison after a routine traffic stop turned up a cache of methamphetamine and an illegally possessed firearm. Jeffrey Baird, 43, was sentenced today to four years in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni.
The bust originated in December 2021, when Baird was pulled over on Route 91 in Northampton, Massachusetts. Troopers discovered Baird was driving with a fraudulent paper license plate and without a valid driver’s license. The stop quickly escalated when a search of his vehicle revealed a revolver and five rounds of ammunition, alongside 207 grams of methamphetamine. Authorities estimate the street value of the meth to be between $6,000 and $10,000.
The search didn’t stop at the vehicle. Three additional rounds of ammunition were found concealed on Baird’s person, tucked inside his Hell’s Angels vest. Baird, already a convicted felon due to prior firearms offenses, was immediately taken into custody. Federal law prohibits him from possessing either firearms or ammunition.
Prosecutors detailed Baird’s intent to distribute the methamphetamine. He pleaded guilty in January 2024 to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and one count of possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. The plea secured the four-year sentence, along with three years of supervised release and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee.
“This case underscores the ATF’s commitment to disrupting the flow of illegal drugs and firearms into our communities,” said James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division. “Working with our partners at the Massachusetts State Police and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we brought a dangerous offender to justice.”
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy, along with Interim Colonel John E. Mawn, Jr. of the Massachusetts State Police, announced the sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Deepika Bains Shukla, Chief of the Springfield Branch Office, prosecuted the case, bringing a firm hand to the prosecution of Baird’s crimes. The investigation highlights the ongoing federal effort to target firearms and narcotics trafficking across state lines.
Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Weapons|Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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