Feb. 20, 2020
For Immediate Release
Contact: Paul Jarvey (508) 368-7241
WORCESTER — A Worcester County grand jury handed up 109 indictments today charging 16 inmates of the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in a Jan. 10 attack that left four corrections officers injured, according to Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr.
All 16 inmates are being charged on a joint venture theory with two counts of assault and battery causing serious bodily injury and four counts assault and battery on a corrections officer. Those facing only those charges are: Tabari Muhammed, 28; Frank Webb, 28; Marcus Muniz, 25; Steven Gonzalez, 39; Israel Perez, 25; and Lennon Dossantos, 25.
Inmates facing additional charges are: Jovani Molinari, 23, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (shod foot); Giovanni Buchanan, 25, aggravated assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (shod foot) and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (shod foot); Carlos Bastos, 29, aggravated kidnapping; Elosko Brown, 33, aggravated kidnapping and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (shod foot); Yamil Narvaez Arroyo, 24, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (shod foot); Alexander Soto, 26, aggravated kidnapping and aggravated assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (wooden cane); Jason Velez Acosta, 29, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (shod foot); John Mentor, 33, aggravated kidnapping; Joshua Reyes, 28, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (shod foot); and Pedro Solis, 30, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (shod foot).
All four corrections officers were hospitalized as a result of the attack, and only one has returned to work.
The inmates will be arraigned in Worcester Superior Court on future dates.
Assistant District Attorney Tiffany A. Scanlon is prosecuting the case, which is being investigated by the State Police and Department of Correction.