Worcester – Thirteen Springfield Police Department officers and one former officer have been indicted on multiple charges by a specially-designated Statewide Grand Jury sitting in Worcester in connection with an assault on four victims and an attempt to cover up the details of the assault afterwards.
According to Attorney General Maura Healey and FBI Boston Division Special Agent in Charge Joseph R. Bonavolonta, the Grand Jury returned indictments against the following individuals today, in connection with the assault on the four alleged victims:
- Springfield Police Officer Daniel Billingsley, age 30, of Springfield
- Springfield Police Officer Anthony Cicero, age 29, of Hampden
- Springfield Police Officer Christian Cicero, age 28, of Longmeadow
- Springfield Police Officer Igor Basovskiy, age 34, of Springfield
- Springfield Police Officer Jameson Williams, age 33, of East Longmeadow
- Springfield Police Officer Jose Diaz, 54, of Springfield
- Nathan Bills Bar & Restaurant Owner John Sullivan, age 34, of Springfield
On April 8, 2015, off-duty Springfield Police Department officers Billingsley, Anthony and Christian Cicero, Basovskiy, Williams, and Diaz and bar owner John Sullivan, physically assaulted four victims after a confrontation at Nathan Bills Bar & Restaurant in Springfield.
The victims had already left the bar when the officers allegedly located them down the street and assaulted them. The victims were allegedly beaten and kicked, and sustained significant injuries as a result of the assault, some permanent. The AG’s Office and the FBI collected statements from victims and witnesses, phone records, and video evidence that led to the identification of the defendants and these charges.
The above defendants are charged with Assault and Battery with a Dangerous Weapon, Shod Foot (4 counts each), Assault and Battery – Serious Bodily Injury (1 count each), Assault and Battery (3 counts each), and Conspiracy (1 count each).
The Statewide Grand Jury also returned indictments against the following individuals today, in connection with attempting to cover up details of the assault afterwards:
John Sullivan
Misleading a Federal Agent/Investigator
Springfield Police Officer Jose Diaz
Misleading a Police Officer/Investigator
Springfield Police Officer Darren Nguyen, age 40, of Holland
Perjury
Misleading a Police Officer/Investigator
Filing a False Police Report
Springfield Police Officer Shavonne Lewis, age 29, of Springfield
Perjury
Misleading a Police Officer/Investigator
Filing a False Police Report
Springfield Police Sergeant Louis Bortolussi, age 57, of East Longmeadow
Perjury
Misleading a Police Officer/Investigator
Filing a False Police Report
Springfield Police Officer Derrick Gentry-Mitchell, age 29, of Springfield
Perjury
Misleading a Police Officer/Investigator/Grand Jury
Filing a False Police Report
Springfield Police Officer James D’Amour, age 42, of Hampden
Perjury
Misleading a Police Officer/Investigator
Filing a False Police Report
Springfield Police Officer John Wajdula, age 34, of Springfield
Perjury
Misleading a Police Officer/Investigator/Federal Agent
Filing a False Police Report
Former Springfield Police Officer Nathaniel Perez, age 27, of West Springfield
Perjury
Misleading a Police Officer/Investigator
Filing a False Police Report
Springfield Police Officer Melissa Rodriguez, age 32, of Springfield
Perjury
Bar Manager Joseph Sullivan, age 42, of Hampden
Perjury
Misleading a Police Officer/Federal Agent/Investigator/Grand Jury
The AG’s Office also alleges that after the assault, nine Springfield Police officers as well as John Sullivan and Joseph Sullivan (no relation) were a part of a long-standing and ongoing cover up of the assault. John Sullivan allegedly misled the FBI during the course of the investigation, and Diaz gave misleading statements in an interview with the Internal Investigations Unit of the Springfield Police Department. Nguyen, Lewis, Bortolussi, Gentry-Mitchell, D’Amour, Wajdula, Perez, Rodriguez, and Joseph Sullivan all allegedly committed perjury by lying when testifying in front of the Statewide Grand Jury, and many of these defendants also misled authorities and/or filed false police reports during the investigation.
All defendants will be arraigned in Hampden and/or Worcester Superior Courts at later dates.
These criminal charges are the result of a joint ongoing investigation by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division.
These charges are allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
