Amherst Man Charged In Brawl At The Big E Fair In Massachusetts

AMHERST, NH — An Amherst man is one of two people facing charges in a "large fight with injuries" at the Big E fair in West Springfield, Massachusetts, last month.

The fight took place in the late afternoon of Sept. 14, when authorities from several agencies found multiple victims at the scene, the West Springfield Police Department said. At least four people were taken to the hospital.

The accused — Levi Stanley, 28, from Amherst, and his brother James Stanley, 48, from Haverhill, MA — were soon detained and are both facing charges of assault and battery, disorderly conduct, and malicious destruction of property.

James Stanley is also facing a charge of unarmed robbery after authorities said he had stolen items from at least one of the assaulted victims.

MassLive published a detailed report on the brawl and the Stanley brothers, noting that according to police, the family is known for fights and theft, and "the West Springfield Police Department has yearly interactions with the Stanley family during the entirety of The Big E.

Both brothers have been arraigned and posted $1,000 bail, MassLive reported. They will next appear in court on Nov. 7.

Read the full report in MassLive.

According to its website, the Big E is the largest event on the East Coast and the seventh-largest fair in North America. It runs for 17 days annually, beginning the second Friday after Labor Day.

It set a new attendance record this year, with 1,633,935 visitors.

In its FAQ section, the fair says that it keeps its grounds safe with bag searches and metal detectors at every entrance gate. Its security staff is comprised of Big E security personnel as well as members of the West Springfield Police Force.