Massachusetts

15 Inmates Charged in January Prison Riot

Fifteen inmates at a maximum-security prison in Massachusetts are facing charges in connection with a riot earlier this year that destroyed a housing unit. 

The riot at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in January started with a fight between two inmates and escalated when 47 other inmates refused to return to their cells. Officials say inmates used fire extinguishers to destroy computers and camera systems. 

Prison officials say the disturbance ended three hours later after a state police response team filled the unit with pepper spray. 

According the Worcester District Attorney's office the inmates were indicted on charges including vandalism, malicious destruction and disturbing a correctional institution. 

Those charged are: Edwin Marrero, 24; Chad Hickey, 33; John Campbell, 32; Julio Leiva, 29; Luis Robles, 29; Jason Mullen, 37; Alexander Soto, 23; Eugenio Rivera, 31; John Walker, 25; Vincent Dzierwinski, 29; Thomas Tibbetts, 24; Manuel Eusebio, 38; Tyler Bassett, 30; Brendon Cain, 23; and Elizer Cruz, 28. 

They are all facing charges including malicious destruction of property over $250, vandalism, disturbing a correctional institution, injury to a building during unlawful assembly, and injury to the property of a correctional institution.

Former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez had been an inmate at the prison at the time. Hernandez killed himself in April. 

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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