Three Inmates Arraigned for September Attack on Massachusetts Prison Officers

Three inmates, Jose R. Crespo, Heriberto Rivera-Negron, and Jeffrey Tapia, were arraigned in Worcester Superior Court for their roles in a violent attack on correctional officers at Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Lancaster on September 18, 2024. The attack, captured on surveillance video, involved Crespo allegedly stabbing Officer Stephen Adams 16 times, with Tapia holding him down, while Rivera-Negron also joined the assault. Five officers were injured, with two suffering multiple stab wounds, requiring hospitalization. The incident has sparked calls from the correctional officers' union for increased security measures in prisons, highlighting the dangers faced by staff amid rising violence and drug use among inmates. All three inmates, already serving life sentences, pleaded not guilty to charges including mayhem and armed assault to murder. The arraignment was attended by numerous correctional officers, underscoring the severity of the event and the demand for better protection for prison staff.